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India’s drug regulator has received recommendations from its expert panel to approve Biological E’s Covid-19 vaccine Corbevax for emergency use in adolescents aged 12-18.

Approval of Corbevax for this age group will help the Government bring down the age eligibility for Covid-19 vaccination to 12 years and above. So far, 1.5 crore youngsters between 15 and 18 years are fully vaccinated, and about 70% of 7.4 crore adolescents have received at least one of the Covid-19 vaccine doses.

Corbevax belongs to the protein subunit type of vaccine. Biological E. Limited conducted its phase III clinical trials in 15 different places in India and was granted emergency use approval in adults on 28 December 2021. The vaccine will now get the final emergency use authorization for children aged between 12-15 in the coming days from the Drugs Controller General of India.

With the third wave of Coronovirus driven mainly by the Omicron variant of the virus drastically falling, the State Governments in India are opening up schools and colleges. Now the emergency use approval for Corbevax for children above 12 years will extend the morale of parents sending their kids to schools. 

At present, India’s vaccination drive for 15-18 years old youngsters uses only Bharath Biotech’s Covaxin. Now Corbevax’s approval will increase vaccine availability and help the Government expand the program.

According to sources, the Government has sought 5 lakh doses of vaccine doses of Corbevax. Biological E appears to have begun manufacturing in December and will deliver them by February.

The Government’s Covid-19 working group has also recommended the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) to approve the use of Biological E’s Corbevax among pregnant and lactating women.

Incidentally, vaccine hesitancy seems to be higher among pregnant women, who constitute the highest unvaxxed population in the country. So far, only four million pregnant women have taken the vaccination since the inoculation drive began.