Covaxin, Corbevax get emergency use nod for children below 12 years

The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has given Bharat Biotech's Covid vaccine Covaxin restricted emergency use authorisation for children between the age of 6-12 years. Further DCGI also granted emergency use authorisation to Corbevax for children between the age of 5-12 years, Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya tweeted on Tuesday.

Cadila Health's ZyCoV-D has received restricted emergency use authorisation for children above the age of 12 years of age.

ET on Friday had reported that the subject expert committee (SEC) of the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on Friday recommended the use of Bharat Biotech's Covaxin among children aged 6-12 years amid an uptick in cases in schools.


Covaxin, one of the main vaccines administered to adults, is currently being administered to children in the age group of 15-18 years.

Experts had sought additional data from the company which was presented on Friday.


"The SEC was satisfied with the data and recommended its use among children aged 6-12 years," a person aware of the matter said on condition of anonymity.

The focus has shifted to children's vaccines amid a fresh surge in Covid-19 cases, especially among children. On Thursday, the SEC also recommended the use of Biological E's Corbevax among children aged 5-12 years. Corbevax is currently being administered to children in the age group 12-14 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.

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 on 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.

Precaution doses of COVID-19 vaccines to all aged above 18 years were allowed at private vaccination centres from April 10.