Govt Panel Recommends Covovax For 12-17 Age Group

Picture courtesy AFP

New Delhi: India started vaccinating children between the age of 12 and 14 years from March 16 with Biological E’s Corbevax. Soon, there will be a second option in the form of Covovax.

Developed by American company Novavax, Covavax vaccine is being produced in our country by Serum Institute of India.

Covovax has been recommended to the Standing Technical Sub Committee (STSC) of National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) for use in the 12-17 years age group in the country’s immunization programme, PTI reported.

The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) had approved Covovax for emergency use among adults on December 28 and children in 12-17 age group, subject to certain conditions, on March 9.

The COVID-19 working group has now recommended to STSC that Covovax be included in the national vaccination programme for those above 12.

“A meeting of the COVID-19 Working Group of NTAGI took place on April 1 during which the data of Covovax was reviewed, following which it recommended the inclusion of the vaccine in the national COVID-19 vaccination programme for inoculating those aged 12 years and above,” PTI quoted a source as saying.

Serum Institute had written to the Union Health ministry seeking inclusion of Covovax in India’s inoculation drive and stating that it wanted to provide Covovax to private hospitals at Rs 900 per dose plus GST.