COVID-19 Vaccine: Amidst the ongoing war against Corona across the world, India will soon have a nasal Kovid-19 vaccine for children between the ages of 5 and 18. Hyderabad-based company Bharat Biotech has sought permission from the drug regulator for a Phase III study of the nasally administered COVID-19 vaccine in the 5-18 age group.

Earlier, the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) on September 6 had given Bharat Biotech a limited emergency use approval for the nasal Invak vaccine to be administered to people above the age of 18 years. An official source in this regard told PTI-language that the Hyderabad-based company has now sought permission for the Phase III study to evaluate the effect of INVOAC (BBV154) on people in the age group of 5 to 18 years.

Bharat Biotech said in a release issued in this regard that the first, second and third phase clinical trials of the vaccine have been done and positive results have come out. The BBV154 vaccine is specially formulated to be administered through the nose. The company had said that this Kovid-19 vaccine administered through the nose can generate local antibodies in the upper respiratory tract. This may provide the ability to reduce infection and its spread. Its detailed study is being planned.