About 30 children, aged 12-18, were administered Covaxin - India's indigenously produced Covid-19 vaccine - at Mysuru Medical College and Research Institute (MMCRI) as part of Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical major Bharat Biotech's clinical trials. MMCRI is the only site selected in Karnataka for the company's pediatric trials, currently being conducted pan-India across multiple locations.

When the vaccinated kids were followed up telephonically, mild pain at the injection site was observed in 10 subjects.

No other complications were reported, according to sources quoted by IBNS. 

In all, MMCRI had screened 53 children, of which 23 had to be rejected as they were ineligible for the trial, on account of either having antibodies or active infection.

According to Dr C P Nanjaraj, Dean at MMCRI, screening 50 children in each age group: 12 to 18 years, 6 to 12 years, and 2 to 6 years, said, "During screening, we shall draw blood samples for Covid IgG antibodies and nasopharyngeal swabs for RT-PCR tests.

"If IgG antibodies and RT-PCR are negative, they (children) will be eligible to get into the study.

"The study subjects (children) will be given two doses of vaccine 28 days apart, and will be followed up for six months for safety analysis." (SAM)