Covaxin phase 3 trials have started
PRAVASISAMWAD.VOM
Vaccination of children in 12-18 years age group will start by September with the Zydus vaccine, Dr. NK Arora, who heads the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration said. Arora also informed that the emergency use authorisation (EUA) for the Zydus vaccine will happen in the coming weeks. His statement comes as a great relief for parents ahead of the possible third wave of the corona, which is likely to impact the children more severely.
ZyCoV-D is a plasmid DNA vaccine which when injected produces the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and elicits an immune response mediated by the cellular and humoral arms of the human immune system, which play a vital role in protection from disease as well as viral clearance.
“Covaxin phase 3 trials have started and by the end of September, I think we should be there (begin vaccination). I think sometime in the third quarter or by early January-February we should be able to give it to 2 to 18-year-olds. But trial data for Zydus Cadila for 12 to 18-year-olds will be available even before that,” said Dr Arora. He asserted that the issue of school reopening and other things are very important and those are being discussed actively.
ZyCoV-D is a plasmid DNA vaccine which when injected produces the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and elicits an immune response mediated by the cellular and humoral arms of the human immune system, which play a vital role in protection from disease as well as viral clearance.
The vaccine is stored at 2-8 degrees Celsius but has shown good stability at temperatures of 25 degrees Celsius for at least three months. The thermostability of the vaccine will help in easy transportation and storage of the vaccine and reduce any cold chain breakdown challenges leading to vaccine wastage, the company has said.