India Gives the Green Light to Bharat Biotech’s Covid Kids Vaccine
On Tuesday, 12th October, the Indian government rolled out a big move—spending a future‑proof trust on Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin for children under 12. This is the first time a vaccine maker in the world has gotten this thumbs‑up after diving into trial data that covers ages 2 to 18.
Why the Gov’s focusing on kids now
- India has already pushed out over 950 million doses to the adult population of ~1.4 billion.
- The country’s shift is to keep the pace of protection steady, covering the younger crowd while adults play the “bolting” game.
- Covaxin, the inactivated antibody booster from Bharat Biotech, is already the third shot in India’s adult arsenal.
- To date, more than 110 million Covaxin doses have reached the public, and the company is lining up a WHO emergency‑use listing later this month—no surprise that without that, few places overseas will accept the shots.
What Dr. Gagandeep Kang says about the news
“Children with comorbidities should get the shot ASAP; we now have a vaccine that’s proven to fire up their immunity with a solid adult safety database,” explains the Vellore professor. Meanwhile, for healthy kids, you could hold off while the adult coverage goes on ramping.
Trial backdrop
In June, amid the devastating Delta‑wave that shook India’s healthcare system, Bharat Biotech started testing Covaxin on kids.
The data for ages 2‑18 was thoroughly examined by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation and a Subject Expert Committee—both chimed in with a positive nod. However, the company has yet to spill the beans on the precise efficacy and safety figures.
Comparison with other kids’ vaccines
- Up till now, only Zydus Cadila’s DNA‑based vaccine had the WHO emergency usage approval for kids aged 12 and up.
- This first approval underlines Bharat Biotech’s progress in the fight against Covid in the younger generation.
With the new green‑light, India’s vaccination drive gets a fresh boost—cooling down the pressurized summer, one child at a time.
