NTAGI may discuss kids’ vaccination against Covid-19 this week

With schools in many states reopening, with restrictions, and the government on August 20 approving the first vaccine for those over the age of 12, the big questions in every parent’s mind have been when the vaccination of children is likely to start, and who will be eligible for the first vaccines

With schools in many states reopening, with restrictions, and the government on August 20 approving the first vaccine for those over the age of 12, the big questions in every parent’s mind have been when the vaccination of children is likely to start, and who will be eligible for the first vaccines.

Beneficiaries not adhering to social distancing norms, wait in a queue to receive Covid-19 vaccine dose, at a government school turned vaccination centre at Shivaji Nagar in Gurugram on Monday. (PTI)

These will likely be answered this week with the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) likely to meet this week to discuss the modalities of vaccination for those over the age of 12, according to people familiar with the matter.

One of them, a senior government official, added that there may be a phased approach to vaccinating those over the age of 12 years, much like there was with the adult population, with children considered vulnerable to the disease getting the first jabs.

“The list of comorbidities will be specified as it was done in adults; while in adults, age was a major criteria, in the case of children, it is likely going to be the comorbid conditions that will be the deciding factor for eligibility,” this person said on condition of anonymity.

On August 23, NTAGI chairman N K Arora said, “Children with comorbidities will be given preference when paediatric vaccines are introduced in the system, be it Zydus Cadila’s ZyCoV-D or Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin, or the one that the Serum Institute of India is testing among children.”

ZyCoV-D became the first vaccine to be approved for use on children although it is still not clear whether it will be reserved for that purpose or become another vaccine in India’s vaccine drive, which has gathered significant momentum in recent weeks.

Zydus expects 50 million vaccine doses to be available by January. There are around 165 million people in the 12-17 age group.

In a press briefing last week, Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said ZyCoV-D will likely be available for use by October.

“There is still a month or so for experts to decide; by the time paediatric vaccines will be available for use for the national programme, a decision should already be made on this,” the first person added.

Bharat Biotech is also conducting trials of its vaccine on children and the results are expected soon.

Experts believe it is better to prioritise vaccines if there is a supply constraint.

“It is important to vaccinate all eligible children because they also run the risk of exposing the whole family, especially the elderly and sick y,” said Dr JS Bhasin, director and head, department of paediatrics, BLK Hospital.