National News

COVID Vaccine for Children By Sept, Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine Could Also Be An Option: AIIMS Director

Guleria also said that policymakers must look at opening up schools in a way that would prevent institutes from becoming super-spreader events.

Sentinel Digital Desk

NEW DELHI: Dr. Randeep Guleria, director of All India Institute Of Medical Sciences, New Delhi said that the vaccine for kids above age of 2 can be expected in September.

According to the India Today report, Dr. Guleria, one of the members of the government's task force on Covid-19 told that Covaxin's data for children after completion of the Phase 2/3 trials will be available by September and the approval is expected same month. He also added that if Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine gets a green signal in India then that could also be an option for children.

Currently, screening children for these trials have already begun in AIIMS Delhi.

A study by AIIMS, New Delhi, and WHO has found high seropositivity among children. The initial findings of this study indicate that the third wave of Covid infections may not affect children more than others.

On the other hand, the third wave of Covid-19 is inevitable and could hit the country earlier than expected, AIIMS director Dr. Randeep Guleria warned on Saturday. He said it usually takes 4-5 months for a subsequent wave to peak.

"But given the way people are crowding in the markets and malls without following any Covid-appropriate behavior, I feel a third wave may hit earlier, possibly in 12 to 16 weeks," he said. Earlier, while speaking to a TV channel, he had said that it could come as early as 6-8 weeks.

Also Watch: