Adar Poonawalla states, "Covovax is now available for youngsters in India".

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• May 3, 2022 | Sourav Boruah

Digital Desk: Prakash Kumar Singh, the director for government and regulatory affairs at the Serum Institute of India (SII), recently wrote to the Centre, seeking that Covovax be included in the immunisation programme for children aged 12 to 17.

The Serum Institute of India's (SII) Covid-19 vaccination Covovax is now available in India for children aged 12 to 17, according to SEO Adar Poonawalla of the pharma company. In India, children can now get 'Covovax.' Poonawalla tweeted, "This is the first vaccine made in India that is also offered in Europe and has an efficacy of > 90%."

He also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his objective of providing children with a new vaccine.

Covovax is the company's second Covid-19 vaccine, after Covishield, which is the most extensively used dose in the country. Covovax was licenced for emergency use in adults by the DCGI on December 28, and it was approved for emergency use in children aged 12 and up by the DCGI in March of this year, making it the fourth Covid vaccine allowed for emergency use in this age group.

Covovax was recently approved by the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) for inclusion in the government's vaccination programme for children aged 12 and up.

Covovax is currently available at private centres that have established a provision for it on the CoWIN portal.

A dose of Covovax will cost Rs 900 plus GST, plus a Rs 150 hospital service fee.