Express News Service
NEW DELHI: The Covid-19 working group of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) will be meeting on May 4 to review the data on Covid-19 vaccines for children in the 5-12 age group, official sources said Monday.
“The government will be providing us with the data on Covid-19 vaccines for below 12 years. We will review the data and decide accordingly,” said one of the Covid-19 working groups of NTAGI on condition of anonymity.
The Covid-19 working group will then be sharing its recommendation with NTAGI, the highest advisory body on immunisation in the country, consisting of independent experts, who will forward it with their suggestions to the Union Health Ministry.
“We will share our recommendations, but the final decision is with the government on approving the vaccinations for 5-12 years,” said another source, adding that “Our job is to look into the facts and give advice.”
The working group will also take a call on which Covid vaccine can be used for children in this age group.
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On April 26, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) approved Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin for the 6-12 years age group. Apart from Covaxin, the DCGI also gave an emergency use nod to Biological E’s Covid-19 vaccine Corbevax for those aged five to 12 years. Vaccination for children above 12 years started in a phased manner.
An expert, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said children below 12 years don’t need vaccines as they “defended themselves brilliantly against Covid” compared to other adult populations.
According to officials, the need for vaccination for children in this age group was felt after many children in Delhi and the NCR region were infected with Covid-19 in April, soon after schools opened. Though most children showed mild symptoms, it caused concern among parents and school authorities.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a Covid review meeting with Chief Ministers, had also said that vaccination for children is a priority.
Another working group member said they have to understand the logic for giving vaccines to children in this age group. “Omicron was a highly immunogenic virus. There is no data on how many infected children were hospitalised recently.”
