New Delhi: The Serum Institute of India’s vaccine Covovax has been approved by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for emergency use for adults and children above 12 years of age.
Serum Institute CEO Adar Poonawalla said, “Younger age groups will soon follow. Novavax has demonstrated over 90% efficacy in global trials.”
Notably, this is the fourth vaccine approved by the DGCI for use in people under the age of 18.
It has been approved for emergency use after CDSCO’s expert committee on COVID-19 last week recommended granting Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to Kovovax for people aged 12 to 17 years.
It may be noted that, in an application to the EUA to DCGI, Prakash Kumar Singh, Director (Government and Regulatory Affairs) of SII, said on 21 February that two studies on approximately 2707 children aged 12 to 17 years show that Covovax is highly Effective, immune, safe.
Notably, the DCGI has already approved Covovax on December 28 for restricted use in emergency situations in adults. But so far this vaccine has not been included in the vaccination campaign.
