NEW DELHI: An expert panel of India's top drug authority has recommended granting emergency use authorisation (EUA) for Biological E's COVID-19 vaccine Corbevax for children in the 5 to 11 years age group, official sources said Thursday.
According to the sources, the Subject Expert Committee (SEC) on COVID-19 of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has, however, sought more data from Bharat Biotech to review its emergency use authorisation (EUA) application for use of Covaxin among those aged between two and 11 years.
The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) had approved Covovax for restricted use in emergency situations in adults on December 28 last year and in the 12 to 17 years age group, subject to certain conditions, on March 9 this year.
The Hyderabad-based biotechnology and biopharmaceutical company Biological E's Corbevax is being used to inoculate children against COVID-19 in the age group of 12 to 14 years. Covaxin has been granted Emergency Use Listing (EUL) by the DCGI for the age group of 12 to 18 years on December 24, 2021.
India began inoculating children aged 12-14 on March 16. So far, more than 2.53 crore children have been administered with the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. On January 3, vaccination was opened for children in the age group of 15-18.