Kids Covid vaccine: Centre hopeful of positive outcome from talks with Zydus Cadila

www.mangaloretoday.com

Bengaluru, Oct 3, 2021: The Centre is hopeful of a positive outcome from the final round of discussions currently underway with Zydus Cadila for its COVID-19 vaccine for children, Karnataka Health Minister K Sudhakar said on Sunday after a meeting with Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya here in the national capital.

Sudhakar, who discussed children’s vaccination and other state initiatives over a breakfast meeting with the Union minister, said the second clinical trial of a nasal vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech has been completed and the third one is expected to be done by November-December.

Bharat Biotech Chairman and Managing Director Krishna Ella was also present at the breakfast meet.

At the meeting, Sudhakar urged Mandaviya for the Centre’s support to upgrade 250 primary health centres (PHCs) in Karnataka under the National Health Mission (NHM).

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Sudhakar said, "I had a lengthy discussion with the Union minister about children vaccination. He (Mandaviya) informed that the government is having a final round of discussion with Zydus with regard to its COVID-19 vaccine for children. He said he was hoping for a positive outcome soon."

He said he also discussed with the Bharat Biotech chief about the status of the nasal vaccine.

"It was informed that the second clinical trial of this vaccine has been completed and the third clinical trial will be over by the end of November-December," Sudhakar said, adding that Ella said the company has a capacity to manufacture 20 crore doses of the vaccine a month.

At the meeting, the Karnataka minister also sought the Centre’s support to upgrade the existing PHCs in the southern state under the NHM.