No clinical trial of Covaxin on children as of now: BMC

Clinical trials of indigenous vaccine Covaxin on children between the age of 12 and 18 years is unlikely to happen in the city, said civic officials

Published on: Jul 6, 2021, 01:00:10 IST

By Mehul R Thakkar, Mumbai

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Clinical trials of indigenous vaccine Covaxin on children between the age of 12 and 18 years is unlikely to happen in the city, said civic officials.

BMC had planned to start clinical trials on teenagers between the age of 12 and 18 years for Covaxin developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and National Institute of Virology (NIV), and had according sent a proposal to the central government in the last week of May 2021. However, the Central government has not given a go-ahead for the same.

Additional municipal commissioner Suresh Kakani said, “We have not got any response from the state or central government directing us to start clinical trials on children from the age group of 12 to 18 years. Hence, we will not conduct any trials for now. We are expecting that maybe at a later stage we might be asked to join the clinical trials.”

The Central government had in mid-May announced that it would start clinical trials of Covaxin on children in the age group of two to 18 years, following which five medical institutions in Kanpur, Patna, Mysuru, Hyderabad and Nagpur had been approved by the ethics committee to conduct the clinical trials.

Meanwhile, on Monday 69,626 citizens were vaccinated in the city. So far, a total of 5,723,972 citizens have been vaccinated in the city since January 16. On Tuesday, owing to shortage of doses, vaccination will be conducted only for three hours between 2pm and 5pm at civic and state-run government centres.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mehul R Thakkar
Mehul R Thakkar is a Mumbai-based journalist who closely tracks the city’s ever-evolving real estate landscape. He believes that Mumbai presents a unique reality that, while Mumbaikars deeply aspire to own a home in the city of dreams, many spend little actual time living in it due to long commutes and demanding work lives. With over 11 years of experience in journalism, I have reported across a wide spectrum of beats, including real estate, housing, infrastructure, aviation, and education. I have also extensively covered the workings of India’s wealthiest civic body, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), providing insight into the policy, governance, and urban planning decisions that directly influence Mumbai’s growth. Before joining Hindustan Times, I worked in fast-paced digital and print newsrooms, including Moneycontrol.com and Deccan Chronicle, as well as national dailies such as The Asian Age and DNA. Outside the newsroom, I am an avid weather tracker, a fan of spy thrillers in both books and films, and a keen follower of international affairs.Read More

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