On Thursday, the Union government said that no scientific body suggests that vaccination of children against Covid-19 should be a condition for reopening schools, but inoculation of teachers, school employees and parents is desirable. At a press conference, NITI Aayog member (Health) V K Paul said, "whether children have to be vaccinated and who among them should get the jabs is an evolving scientific and public health discourse. Only a limited number of nations have introduced vaccination of children so far."
At the press conference, he said, "No scientific body, epidemiology, no evidence suggests that vaccination against Covid-19 should be a condition to reopen schools. However, inoculation of teachers, other school employees and parents is desirable. There is no WHO recommendation also that we should move in that direction for reasons such as low mortality and high incidence of asymptomatic infection. We as a nation and government are working actively in the direction of scientific validation of our vaccines for potential use in children."
Further, he added, "Zydus vaccine has also already been licensed for children. How and when it will be administered is being discussed by scientific bodies. The trial of Covaxin on children is nearing completion. Hyderabad-based Biological E Limited has been given permission to conduct the phase two/three clinical trial of its indigenously developed Covid-19 vaccine on children and adolescents aged between five and 18 years with certain conditions."