NTAGI may discuss Covid vaccination for children under 12

The panel is also likely to take up the possible rollout of Corbevax as booster dose that can be mixed with other types of vaccines.

The central government’s top expert panel on vaccinations is likely to take up the matter of including children under 12 years of age in the country’s Covid-19 immunisation programme in its next meeting, according to people familiar with the matter.

Currently, everyone over the age of 12 years is covered under India’s Covid vaccination drive that began on January 16, 2021. (HT photo)

The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) is also set to discuss the possible rollout of Corbevax as booster dose that can be mixed with other types of vaccines.

The developments come at a time when expert opinion is still divided on whether or not there is an urgent need to vaccinate younger children against Covid-19. Currently, everyone over the age of 12 years is covered under India’s Covid vaccination drive that began on January 16, 2021.

“Several key issues are being deliberated upon by experts from NTAGI, and lowering the age of vaccination may be one of the issues on the meeting agenda. The other issue that is likely to feature is the inclusion of heterologous Covid vaccine shot as a booster dose,” said a central government official aware of the matter, requesting anonymity.

A heterologous booster dose is different from the primary vaccine administered. Decks were cleared for the mixing of Covid-19 vaccines this Saturday when India’s drugs regulator approved Hyderabad-based Biological E’s anti-Covid vaccine Corbevax as the first mix-and-match booster dose for adults.

Once a decision is taken unanimously by its members, then NTAGI accordingly makes recommendations to the Union ministry of health and family welfare, which then takes the final policy level decision.

As things stand, vaccination among those under 18 in India is conducted using two vaccines: Bharat Biotech’s inactivated whole virion vaccine Covaxin is being administered in children aged 15-18 years; and Biological E’s recombinant protein subunit vaccine Corbevax in children aged 12-15 years.

While Covaxin and Corbevax are both approved by the national drugs regulator for emergency use in children aged 6-12 and 5-12 respectively, the rollout is yet to take place.

According to a senior government functionary, if Centre decides to open up Covid vaccination for children under 12, then it is likely to be administered only at government vaccination centres.

According to Dr Gagandeep Kang, senior vaccine expert and faculty, CMC, Vellore, a decision should be made based on risk-benefit analysis.

“Benefits are clear in children with comorbidities. Small chance of serious disease in healthy children, but vaccination does decrease that small chance. Long covid risk in children are unknown in India but in adults at least long Covid risk seems lower in vaccinated,” she said. “Talking of risks, will rare side effects from vaccines exceed benefit since disease is also rare? Here if disease is dependent on rates of infection in the population it is possible in times of low circulation, side effects may be more than severe cases prevented.”

Among other vaccines being administered globally, the US-made Pfizer jab is currently being given among children aged 5 years and above in America. The company, however, is also testing its vaccine in even younger children, and is expecting results soon.

US’ Centre for Disease Control recommends everyone aged 5 years and above get vaccinated with two shots, while those above 12 years of age get booster doses as well. “Emerging evidence indicates that people can get added protection by getting vaccinated after having been infected with the virus that causes Covid-19. So even if a child has had Covid-19, they should still get vaccinated,” reads CDC advisory on vaccinating children and teens.

Meanwhile, among other issues, NTAGI is also likely to take up the issue of allowing Corbevax as heterologous booster dose. India’s drugs regulator on Saturday approved Corbevax as a heterologous booster dose for individuals aged 18 years and above, six months after they have been administered two doses of either the Covishield or Covaxin vaccines.

Currently, only homologous (of same vaccine platform) booster dose is allowed.

“BE’s Corbevax is the first such vaccine in India to be approved as a heterologous Covid-19 booster,” the company said in a statement.