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The Subject Expert Committee (SEC) on COVID-19, an expert panel of India's central drug authority, on 24 June recommended granting emergency use authorisation to Serum Institute's (SII) Covovax for children aged 7 to 11 years, officials confirmed.
The expert panel's recommendation has been sent to Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for final approval.
Earlier, on 16 March, 2022, Serum Institute's director (government and regulatory affairs) Prakash Kumar Singh submitted the application for emergency use authorisation of Covovax vaccine for 7-11 year-olds.
"The Subject Expert Committee (SEC) on COVID-19 of the CDSCO deliberated on the EUA application of SII and recommended granting emergency use authorisation for Covovax for children aged 7 to 11 years," an official source said.
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However, the expert panel in its last meeting in April had sought more data from the Pune-based firm over the application.
The DCGI on 28 December, 2021, approved Covovax for restricted use in emergency situations in adults and gave its approval for Covovax use in the 12 to 17 years age group subject to certain conditions on 9 March. Following this, India began inoculating children aged 12-14 from 16 March, 2022.
On 16 January, 2021, the countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out with healthcare workers getting inoculated in the first phase. While, vaccination of frontline workers started from 2 February 2, 2021. India launched vaccination for all people aged more than 45 years from 1 April, 2021.
Later, on 10 January, 2022, the government began administering precaution doses of vaccines to healthcare and frontline workers and those aged 60 and above with comorbidities. It was later made available for all aged above 18 years at private vaccination centres from 10 April, 2022.
With inputs from PTI.