DCGI panel to review SII applications for Covovax's use among kids aged 2-7, 7-11 yrs

New Delhi: The subject expert committee on Covid of India's drug regulator will on Friday review the applications of Serum Institute of India seeking emergency use authorisation to use Covovax among those aged two to seven years and seven to 11 years, official sources said.

The two applications were submitted by Prakash Kumar Singh, Director, Government and Regulatory Affairs at Serum Institute of India (SII) on March 16 and June 1.

The expert panel in its last meeting in April had sought more data from SII following its application seeking the emergency use authorisation of Covovax for seven to 11 years.

Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) had approved Covovax for restricted use in emergency situations in adults on December 28 and in the 12 to 17 years age group subject to certain conditions on March 9.

India began inoculating children aged 12-14 on March 16. The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 last year with healthcare workers getting inoculated in the first phase. Vaccination of frontline workers started from February 2 last year.

Meanwhile, India logged 13,313 new Coronavirus infections taking the total tally of Covid cases to 4,33,44,958, while the active cases rose to 83,990, according to the Union Health ministry data updated on Thursday.

The death toll climbed to 5,24,941 with 38 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.

The active cases comprise 0.19 per cent of the total infections, while the national Covid recovery rate was recorded at 98.60 per cent, the ministry said.

An increase of 2,303 cases has been recorded in the active Covid caseload in a span of 24 hours. The daily positivity rate was recorded at 2.03 per cent and the weekly positivity rate at 2.81 per cent, according to the ministry.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,27,36,027, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.21 per cent.