NEW DELHI: An expert panel of the country's central drugs control authority Monday sought more data from the Serum Institute of India on its emergency use authorisation application for administering its COVID-19 vaccine Covovax in 7-11 year-olds, official sources said.
The SII had last month submitted an application to the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) seeking emergency use authorisation (EUA) for Covovax's use among children in the age group.
India's drug regulator had approved on December 28 Covovax for restricted use in emergency situations in adults, and on March 9 it was approved for 12-17 age group subject to certain conditions.
"The Subject Expert Committee (SEC) on COVID-19 of the CDSCO deliberated on the EUA application of SII and has sought more data in regards to the usage of the Covovax in the 7-11 age group," an official source said.
The country began inoculating children aged 12-14 from March 16.
The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 last year with healthcare workers getting inoculated in the first phase.
Vaccination of frontline workers started from February 2 last year.
The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination commenced on March 1 last year for people over 60 years of age and those aged 45 and above with specified co-morbid conditions.
India launched vaccination for all people aged more than 45 years from April 1 last year.
The government then decided to expand its vaccination drive by allowing everyone above 18 years of age to be inoculated against the viral disease from May 1 last year.
The next phase of vaccination commenced from January 3 for adolescents in the age group of 15-18 years.
India began administering precaution doses of vaccines to healthcare and frontline workers and those aged 60 and above with comorbidities from January 10.
India began administering precaution dose of COVID-19 vaccines to all aged above 18 years at private vaccination centres from April 10.