Medanta Chairman Dr. Naresh Trehan on Sunday, questioned whether states are in a ‘rush’ to reopen schools, citing the fact that the Covid-19 vaccine push for children has yet to be declared.
‘Is it that we should be patient for a few more months, then a vaccine arrives, and then kids can get vaccinated and go to schools? Or, is it that we are in a rush to open schools for what reason I don’t know? Extreme caution should be taken while deciding under what circumstances we should reopen schools,’ the senior doctor stated.
He emphasised that in India, children are not yet vaccinated. ‘If a large number of children fall sick, we don’t have good facilities to take care of them. Given our population size, we should be cautious. The fact is that a vaccine is around the corner,’ Dr. Trehan further said, apparently referring to the three-dose ZyCoV-D vaccination from Ahmedabad-based Zydus Cadila.
ZyCoV-D, which was granted an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on August 20, will be given to those aged 12 and up. It’s the first vaccine approved for children under the age of 18 and one of only six vaccines approved by the DCGI thus far.
Covaxin, a vaccine developed by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech, is the only other vaccine that has been tested in children. In September, it is likely to be approved for kids. Covaxin and ZyCoV-D are now India’s only two indigenously produced anti-Covid vaccines.
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As the terrible second wave of Covid-19 has passed, schools have already reopened in numerous states, at least for senior courses. The majority of other state schools are set to open on September 1.
Recently, 22 persons from a Mumbai school, including 16 children and six adults, tested positive for Covid-19, prompting the local council to close the facility. Four of the 16 youngsters are under the age of 12, while the others are between the ages of 12 and 18.
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