The vaccination of children aged 15 to 18 against Covid-19 began on January 3 in India. The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) provided emergency authorisation to vaccinate youngsters on December 25 last year.
However, the vaccines are still not being administered to children younger than 15 years. the reason? Well, the children in the age group of 12-14 can’t be vaccinated until the DCGI is certain of their safety. The DCGI is still looking for more safety data concerning the vaccination of children under the age of 14.
This, despite the DCGI’s vaccine expert committee, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), advising the authorities on October 12, 2021, to start vaccinating children.
According to an official, safety data is essential for them. DCGI will not proceed unless it is entirely convinced in the matter. He stated that the type of safety data that DCGI required for the youngsters is there. It was then decided that older children could be vaccinated. However, additional data on child safety is still needed for younger children.
The organs of children under the age of 12 are still developing, according to the authorities. It is necessary to investigate the vaccine’s long-term effects on these organs. In comparison to adults, a long-term evaluation of the vaccine’s effect in children is required.
That is why we require additional time. To determine the vaccine’s effect on children, at least two to three more months are needed. On October 12, the Expert Committee on Vaccine Safety recommended the vaccination of older children. DCGI takes the vaccine’s efficacy and vigilance in children and pregnant women very seriously.
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