New Delhi: As COVID-19 cases have started coming down, the government is getting ready to prepare itself for the 'invisible' third wave of the pandemic, which according to experts is inevitable.
The government, in coordination with vaccine manufacturers, is gearing up for the launch of vaccines for children as it's predicted that the kids would also get affected during the third wave of the pandemic.
In reply to a question about consideration of the administration of Pfizer, with which India is in almost final stage to ink an agreement, among children between the age of 12 and 15 years as the UK has approved the vaccine for children, Dr VK Paul said that India has its own vaccines being readied for children.
"We have to understand that the child cohort is not small. When we are talking about children, we are talking about at least 13-14 crore population and to cater to them, we will need 26-28 crore doses. So we will have to make a decision based on how many doses of what vaccines are available," said Dr Paul, who is Niti Aayog member (health).
Dr Paul further said that apart from Bharat Biotech's Covaxin, which is now under trial for children, Zydus Cadila's vaccine could be an option as it is already tested on children.
"Bharat Biotech's trial will not take much time. Zydus Cadila's vaccine too will come for licence soon. When it comes, we will have more insight into the matter as this vaccine has already been tested on children," Dr Paul said.
In another question about COVID-19 infection among children, Dr Paul said, "In the Sero Survey findings it came to notice that children also got infected with the virus in the same proportion as it affected adults. When we talk about diagnosis and hospital admission, the ratio of children admission is lesser than the adults. It's was around 2-3 per cent."
On the issue of indemnity to Indian vaccine manufacturers on the lines of foreign vaccine makers, Dr Paul said that the issue of granting legal protection to Indian vaccine manufacturers is under watch.
"The issue of indemnity has come up in the context of foreign companies raising the demand. In principle, they expect us to indemnify from legal suits as they are protected in other countries too. We have also checked with other countries and the World Health Organization. This appears to be the fact that they are legally protected in other countries," Dr Paul said, adding that in the case of local vaccine makers, like Serum Institute of India, the issue is under watch and no decision has been taken as a decision in this regard has to be taken in totality.
Meanwhile, official sources said on Friday that DCGI has granted permission to SII to manufacture the Sputnik COVID-19 vaccine in India for examination, test and analysis with certain conditions.
The Pune-based firm has collaborated with Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Moscow in Russia for developing Sputnik V at its licensed Hadapsar facility.
"The DCGI has granted permission to the Serum Institute to manufacture the Sputnik COVID-19 vaccine in India for examination, test and analysis at its licensed Hadapsar facility with certain conditions," an official source said.