Good news: Covid jab for children likely in August

Covid-19 vaccine for children is likely to be available by the next month, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya is said to have told Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a meeting on July 27. Experts said Covid vaccine for children will help break the chain of Covid-19 transmission and reopen schools across the nation amid warnings of a possible third wave of coronavirus. Also Read | AAP to contest Punjab Assembly elections 2022 on its won: Raghav Chadha Currently, Bharat Biotech's Covaxin and Zydus Cadila's candidate are testing vaccines for children. The results of the Covaxin trials are expected by September, AIIMS chief Randeep Guleria has said. Meanwhile, the trials for the vaccines are being conducted in three phases as per the age of the children. The first trial was started in the age group of 12-18 years, followed by the age group of 6-12 years. Trials for children in the 2-6 age group are currently undergoing trials. Also Read | Monsoon Session: 7 Oppn parties want Prez intervention in Pegasus, farm laws Telangana achieves herd immunity, claims study In Telangana, over 60 per cent population, including children, has acquired immunity against the virus through vaccination or contracting the virus. This has been claimed in a sero-surveillance study, whose report was released recently. The study was conducted by Hyderabad-based National Institute of Nutrition (NIN). The study, which included children for the first time in Telangana, has indicated that about 55 per cent of kids between 6 years and 9 years have developed antibodies. -PTC News