Serum Institute plans to launch COVID vaccine for kids soon

New Delhi : Serum Institute of India (SII) will be launching its made for kids COVID-19 vaccine, Covavax, in about six months, CEO Adar Poonawalla said on Tuesday. Speaking at a conference, Poonawalla said the under trial vaccine would offer protection to children all the way down till three years. 

"We haven’t seen a lot of severe disease in children. Fortunately, the panic is not there for children. However, we will be launching a vaccine in six months for children, hopefully down to the age of three," Poonawalla said as quoted by PTI.

Encouraging parents to get their children vaccinated, Poonawalla said, “There is no harm, these vaccines have been proven to be safe and efficacious and all of that. If you feel you want to get your children vaccinated by all means wait for government announcements on that and you go ahead with that.”

Speaking about Omicron variant, the SII CEO said, “I don’t know what will happen with Omicron but so far the children have not been affected very badly with this (COVID) virus. I think their body, cells and their lungs recover better.”

Meanwhile, India has registered 45 cases of Omicron variant so far.