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COVID-19 India Updates | Covaxin approved for children | Vaccines for teenagers

India started vaccination of adolescents; Bharat Biotech says Covaxin demonstrated robust efficacy and safety in people of age 2-18 years

India has started the COVID vaccination drive for adolescents aged 15-18. Half a million young people received the COVID19 vaccine on the first day. India is administering Covaxin for teenagers.

Bharat Biotech announced that Covaxin had demonstrated robust efficacy and safety data in the 2-18 years age group. Further, the company announced that Covaxin is one of the few vaccines which generated data in this age group.

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The company has conducted a phase II/III open-label, multicentre study to determine the immunogenicity and safety of the vaccine in healthy children and adolescents aged 2-18 years. Seroconversion was documented in the range of 95-98% in three age groups (2-6 years, 6-12 years, and 12-18 years) four weeks after the second dose. More antibodies were generated in pediatrics compared to adolescents.

The company has received approval for children aged 12-18 years from DGCI in India.

Covaxin can be stored at 2-8 C.


AIIMS/ICR Guidelines



Remedisivir has emergency use authorization and should be used only when

  • The disease is moderate to severe

  • The patient is on oxygen support

  • To be used within ten days from the onset of symptoms

  • It is not recommended to use patients who are at home setting or not on oxygen support


Tocilizumab is an off-label product recommended for severe disease and the if the disease does not improve despite using steroids.

Convalescent plasma is considered in early moderate disease.


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