Govt mulls new vaccines as immunisation drive will likely extend to 12-14-year-olds

The government may include two vaccines in its immunisation drive that are currently meant for emergency use — Corbevax and Covovax — as it likely starts jabbing 12-14-year-olds against coronavirus from March. 

The Covid working group of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) is set to discuss this on February 5.

NK Arora, who heads NTAGI, had said that inoculation of 12-14-year-olds could begin from March after the 15-17 age group is jabbed with Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin.

But any decision on expanding vaccination to the younger group will depend on scientific data and pandemic situation, said a source in the Covid working group.

Officials with NTAGI told Moneycontrol that the Serum Institute of India (SII) and Biological E have been asked to present their data in the meeting on February 5 in this regard.

Pune-based SII is the maker of Covovax, its version of the US’s Novavax, while Hyderabad-based Biological E is manufacturing Corbevax, and both are conducting late stage clinical trials in paediatric groups.

Dr V K Paul, member (health), Niti Aayog, and head of national Covid task force, had indicated that vaccination expansion may not happen immediately but is on the cards.