India's 'Vaccine Woman' On Corbevax Rolled Out For Children: Highlights

Mahima Datla, Managing Director of Biological E Ltd., spoke to NDTV as India today started the vaccination of children aged 12 to 14 years.

India today started vaccinating children aged 12 to 14 years as it expands its COVID-19 vaccination coverage.

The COVID-19 vaccine to be administered to those in the 12-14 age group would be Corbevax, which is manufactured by Biological Evans, Hyderabad.

Here are the Highlights:

• Corbevax is the most-effective vaccine across the globe.
• On efficacy and robust Number, Ms Datla said, "Not Sure. That's quite normal for us. We can't define efficacy. By the time we tried determining the efficacy, the other variants came in."
• On boosters, Ms Datla said, "There is no need for boosters. World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended last week that there must be a booster for all. The vulnerable should be protected first and then boosters should be given. We have the permission to conduct booster study."
• "You need to get the application and licence from the WHO. We've had positive review from WHO and they are committed to making sure that this is done as soon as possible and make it available to people," Ms Datla said on Corbevax's emergency approval by WHO.
• "We don't have statistical model for the Delta variant. The key of this is we have -- how much affect it has against the virus. If the protection level remains high, we would be able to get the vaccine," Ms Datla said.