SII’s Covovax receives DCGI emergency use nod for kids between 7-12 years

Health

According to reports, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has granted a restricted emergency use authorization (EUA) to Pune-based Serum Institute of India’s COVID-19 vaccine ‘Covovax’ for children aged 7 to 12 years. Previously, DCGI’s Subject Expert Committee (SEC) recommended that Covovax be approved for emergency use in children aged 7 to 11 years.

After the business filed an application for an emergency use authorization for Covovax for 7 to 11 years, a government panel meeting in April requested further data from the Serum Institute of India (SII).

Following the SEC’s advice, DCGI considered the report and granted limited emergency usage authorization.
Previously, DCGI granted Covovax emergency permission for minors aged 12 to 17 years under specific situations.

SII’s Covovax vaccination became available for youngsters aged 12 to 17 in May, based on a provision made on the CoWIN site. The interval between the first and second Covovax doses is 21 days.

The DCGI has previously authorised restricted emergency authorisation for Biological E’s Corbevax for children aged 5 to 12 years and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin for children aged 6 to 12, but NTAGI approval is still pending.