COVID-19 vaccination for children likely to start by September

Director of India's premier health institute All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi, Randeep Guleria, Saturday said the country is likely to start vaccinating children by September.

Guleria made the remarks during an interview with a local television news channel NDTV, saying it will be an important move to break the chain of transmission.

"I think Zydus has already done the trials in children and they're waiting for the emergency authorisation. The Bharat Biotech's Covaxin trials should be over by August or September, and by that time we should get the approval. Pfizer vaccine has been already approved by the FDA. Hopefully, by September, we should start vaccinating children, and that will be a big boost as far as breaking the chain of transmission is concerned," Guleria told the news channel.

According to India's federal health ministry, so far 427 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered across the country.

The ministry, however, does not give the population-wise break up of how many have received a single dose and how many were given the required two doses.

At present India is vaccinating population above 18 years of age.