India likely to start vaccinating children by September, says AIIMS chief

'That will be a big boost as far as breaking the chain of transmission is concerned'

The total number of Covid vaccine doses administered so far in the country has reached 42.78 crore.: File picture

TT  Bureau   |   New Delhi   |   24.07.21: Children are likely to get their vaccines by September, AIIMS chief Dr Randeep Guleria said on Saturday, explaining that it will be a significant move to break the chain of Covid-19 transmission.

"I think Zydus has already done the trials and they're waiting for the emergency authorisation. The Bharat Biotech's Covaxin trials should be over by August or September, and by that time we should get approval. Pfizer vaccine has been already approved by the FDA (US regulator - Food and Drug Administration)," Guleria told ndtv.com

"Hopefully, by September, we should start vaccinating children, and that will be a big boost as far as breaking the chain of transmission is concerned," the expert added.

The total number of Covid vaccine doses administered so far in the country has reached 42.78 crore, while the Centre hopes to inoculate all citizens above 18 by December 2021. However, India is yet to clear a vaccine for children amid a growing concern of a possible third wave affecting them.

Meanwhile, the European Medicines Agency has recommended authorising Moderna's Covid-19 vaccine for children aged 12 to 17, the first time the shot has been authorized for people under 18.

"We need to get our own vaccines too - that's why both Bharat Biotech and Zydus are important. Getting the Pfizer vaccine will also be helpful, as there is enough data to suggest it's safe... but we can't be sure if we will get required numbers. We will hopefully have more than one vaccine for children by September,"  Guleria said on Saturday.

Taling about a Lancet study, which says that "living with 11-17 year olds increases the risk of infection by 18-30 per cent", the AIIMS chief said, "It's an important issue. Vulnerable people - the elderly or those having illnesses - are at an increased risk of getting the infection (in such cases). That's one of the reasons why people are worried about children going to schools... they may get a mild infection but they may pass it to their grandparents. We need more data but this is something that has been shown even with influenza."

Talking about a serosurvey that revealed two-third of the Indian population has developed antibdies, Guleria said it is even the younger population has developed immunity.

"What is encouraging is the serosurvey this time also looked at the younger population also. There was a lot of worries that children may be vulnerable in the third wave. The survey suggested that even children may have got the infection, and to some extent, they're protected," he explained. 

India can hope to reopen its schools fully by the end of this year as children get vaccinated, the AIIMS chief further said. "I personally feel, in a graded manner, physical classes should start. A lot of children who don't have access to online classes are suffering. By October, November or end of the year, when children start getting vaccinated, we should be in a position that schools open fully," he told ndtv.com.