Vaccine for kids likely by September; we all may need booster shot: AIIMS chief Dr Guleria

In the coming few weeks or by September, vaccines should be available for children, said All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) chief Dr Randeep Guleria, adding that schools would be opened in a calibrated manner only after COVID-19 vaccinations. While speaking to ANI, he said that trials for children are presently underway at the Hyderabad-based firm- Bharat Biotech and the results are expected to be released by September. "The vaccines for children should come out now because trials in India are already there in the vaccines which are available in India, Bharat Biotech's trial is in the final phase and by September we will have the data," said AIIMS director.

He informed that the trials are segregated into three categories: 12-18 years; 6-12 years and 2-6 years. The trials for the age group of 2-6 years are currently underway, added Dr Guleria. The AIIMS director further maintained that Zydus Cadila has included the data for children for their coronavirus vaccine. "Zydus Cadila vaccine has also included children and their data is already there. They have already applied for the emergency use authorization," he said. According to ANI sources, it would take few more days for the drug regulator Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to give it emergency use authorisation.

Country may need COVID vaccine booster shot, says Dr Guleria

As the deadly virus mutates within 3-4 months, Dr Randeep Guleria said there might be a need for the country to adopt a booster dose with a second-generation COVID-19 vaccine. "It seems that we probably need the booster dose of vaccines as with the passage of time the immunity tends to fall. There is waning immunity. We would like to have a booster dose that will cover various emerging variants," maintained Dr Guleria.

Booster would provide better protection from new COVID variant

While elaborating about the need for the second-generation vaccine, the AIIMS director said that the booster dose would cover new variants of COVID-19 and would be better in terms of immunity. "Trials of booster vaccine shots are already going on. You will probably need a booster dose till the end of this year. But that's only once the population is vaccinated, then the next step will be to administer a booster dose," Dr Guleria said.

(With inputs from ANI)

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