Serum Institute To Launch Covovax Vaccine For Kids In 6 Months

Picture courtesy The Indian Express

New Delhi: Serum Institute of India (SII) plans to launch a COVID-19 vaccine for children in the next six months.

It’s the US biotechnology company Novavax’s COVID vaccine, which the Pune-based firm will produce and manufacture in India as Covovax.

“We haven’t seen a lot of severe disease in children. Fortunately, panic is not there for kids. However, we will be launching a vaccine for them in six months, hopefully down to the age of three,” PTI quoted Serum Institute CEO Adar Poonawalla as saying on Tuesday.

“Our Covovax vaccine, which is under trial and has shown excellent data all the way down to the age group of three years, will be launched in six months,” he further said while addressing an industry conference in Delhi.

Though the Drugs Controller General of India cleared Ahmedabad-based Zydus Cadila’s ZyCoV-D vaccine the age group of 12-18 years in August, it is yet to be included in the country’s vaccination drive.

Poonawalla said he’s in favour of vaccinating kids.

“Yes, I think you should take and get your children inoculated. There’s no harm, these vaccines have been proven to be safe and efficacious. Just wait for the government’s announcement, and then you can go ahead,” he remarked.