Government approves first Covid-19 vaccine for children above 12 years

Indian drug regulator DCGI on Friday approved Zydus Cadila’s three-dose COVID-19 DNA vaccine for emergency use in adults and children aged 12 years and above, bringing in the sixth vaccine authorized for use in the country.

Zydus Cadila's three-dose indigenous Covid-19 vaccine ZyCoV-D is the world's first DNA-based Covid vaccine that can be administered to people aged 12 and above.

India has now approved its first vaccine for children, a timely move amid warnings of an upcoming third wave in the country, which some experts have warned could be deadlier for children.

The Science and Technology Ministry statement said: "Zydus Cadila has received approval for Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) for ZyCoV-D today."

ZyCoV-D is a first of its kind DNA vaccine that produces the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 to elicit an immune response. It is an intradermal vaccine that has to be applied using a 'needle-free injector', which, the manufacturer says, will help in reducing side effects.This 3-dose vaccine, when injected, produces the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and elicits an immune response, which plays a vital role in protection from disease as well as viral clearance.

Meanwhile, country recorded 34,457 new cases and 375 deaths. According to Union Health Ministry data updated this morning, India’s Coronavirus caseload rose to 3,23,93,286, while country’s Covid-19 death toll climbed to 4,33,964.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease has surged to 3,15,97,982, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.34 per cent, the data stated.