Lok Sabha Question No. 1631 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-02-11
Subject: Effect of Omicron Variant on Children
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Kripanath Mallah, T.R.V.S. Ramesh, Abhishek Banerjee

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1631 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11 th  FEBRUARY 2022

## EFFECT OF OMICRON VARIANT ON CHILDREN

## 1631. SHRI KRIPANATH MALLAH:

T.R.V.S. RAMESH:

## SHRI ABHISHEK BANERJEE:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether Omicron variant has affected children upto the age of 18 in the country, if so, the details thereof along with the timeline and targets for vaccination of children;
- (b) the  number  of  children  below  18  years  vaccinated  and  unvaccinated  as  on  date, State/UT-wise;
- (c) whether the Government has conducted a study on the impact of Omicron on children including unvaccinated ones, if so, the details thereof and the outcome thereon;
- (d) whether  the  impact  of  Omicron  variant  of  COVID-19  would  be  different  on  the vaccinated and unvaccinated population and if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether the Government has issued any guidelines to the States/UTs with regard to vaccination of children and if so, the details thereof; and
- (f) the list of vaccines for children that are at various stages of development along with the steps taken to promote the early development of children's vaccines?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (DR. BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR)

(a) to (f) Omicron variant is the dominant variant in the country presently.

Vaccination of children in the age group of 15-18 years began from 3 rd January 2022 across the country.  As  on  8 th February  2022,  against  the  estimated  population  of  about  7.40  crore beneficiaries aged 15-18 years, around 4.99 crore (67.5%) beneficiaries have received 1 st dose and 75.9 lakhs (10.2%) beneficiaries have received 2 nd dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

As  on  8 th February  2022,  States/UTs  wise  vaccinated  children  below  18  years  of  age  are  at Annexure-1.

Scientific evidence evolves globally regarding impact of omicron on vaccinated and unvaccinated population including children. The potential impact of Omicron variant on existing countermeasures including vaccine is scrutinized by technical groups worldwide. Vaccines used in National Covid-19 Vaccination Program remain effective to prevent the risk of severe disease due to COVID-19.

The Government of India has issued guideline on Covid-19 vaccination of children in the age group of 15-18 years, which is also available at Ministry of Health and Family Welfare web site: https://www.mohfw.gov.in/pdf/GuidelinesforCOVID19VaccinationofChildrenbetween15to18ye arsandPrecautionDosetoHCWsFLWs&60populationwithcomorbidities.pdf

The  National  Regulator  i.e.  Central  Drugs  Standard  Control  Organization  (CDSCO)  has approved  following  COVID-19  vaccines  for  restricted  use  in  emergency  situation  in  the  age group of 12 years and above:

1. ZyCoV-D of M/s Cadila Healthcare Ltd.
2. COVAXIN of M/s Bharat Biotech international Ltd.

Further, following COVID-19 vaccines are in clinical trials in the country:

- i. M/s Serum institute of India is conducting Phase II/III clinical trial of COVOVAX in >2 to 17 years age group.
- ii. M/s Biological E Ltd. is conducting Phase II/III clinical trial of coronavirus in ≥5 to <18 years age group.
- iii. M/s Johnson & Johnson Pvt. Ltd., is conducting Phase II/III clinical trial in age group of 12-17 years.

A system is in place for fast track processing of application for clinical trial & approval for COVID-19 Vaccines by CDSCO.

The  meetings  of  the  Subject  Expert  Committee  (SEC)  evaluates  the  applications  for conduct  of  clinical  trials  and  approval  of  new  drugs  pertaining  to  COVID-19  drugs including vaccines are held to minimize the processing time of applications.

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## Annexure-1

States/UTs wise vaccinated children below 18 years of age (As on 8 th February 2022)

| SN   | States/UTs                  | 1st Dose    | 2nd Dose   |
|------|-----------------------------|-------------|------------|
| 1    | Andaman and Nicobar Islands | 18,284      | 9,378      |
| 2    | Andhra Pradesh              | 24,84,511   | 7,32,451   |
| 3    | Arunachal Pradesh           | 38,311      | 4,866      |
| 4    | Assam                       | 9,04,786    | 1,36,290   |
| 5    | Bihar                       | 43,74,386   | 3,20,258   |
| 6    | Chandigarh                  | 39,388      | 4,881      |
| 7    | Chhattisgarh                | 10,34,362   | 2,90,878   |
| 8    | Dadra and Nagar Haveli      | 18,568      | 9,602      |
| 9    | Daman and Diu               | 11,371      | 7,715      |
| 10   | Delhi                       | 8,54,708    | 1,11,828   |
| 11   | Goa                         | 46,415      | 29,564     |
| 12   | Gujarat                     | 28,38,071   | 9,39,066   |
| 13   | Haryana                     | 9,86,102    | 1,14,538   |
| 14   | Himachal Pradesh            | 3,06,694    | 1,63,720   |
| 15   | Jammu and Kashmir           | 7,13,276    | 1,07,167   |
| 16   | Jharkhand                   | 10,92,030   | 64,800     |
| 17   | Karnataka                   | 23,49,047   | 6,40,714   |
| 18   | Kerala                      | 11,17,627   | 92,656     |
| 19   | Ladakh                      | 8,372       | 1,921      |
| 20   | Lakshadweep                 | 2,819       | 701        |
| 21   | Madhya Pradesh              | 39,15,279   | 10,55,684  |
| 22   | Maharashtra                 | 33,09,250   | 3,09,099   |
| 23   | Manipur                     | 68,312      | 1,607      |
| 24   | Meghalaya                   | 41,185      | 1,624      |
| 25   | Mizoram                     | 44,300      | 1,657      |
| 26   | Nagaland                    | 38,410      | 368        |
| 27   | Odisha                      | 16,04,313   | 1,96,453   |
| 28   | Puducherry                  | 40,946      | 2,910      |
| 29   | Punjab                      | 6,00,282    | 9,175      |
| 30   | Rajasthan                   | 30,36,489   | 4,04,416   |
| 31   | Sikkim                      | 24,523      | 5,271      |
| 32   | Tamil Nadu                  | 21,10,780   | 4,83,809   |
| 33   | Telangana                   | 13,51,313   | 2,53,793   |
| 34   | Tripura                     | 1,23,270    | 30,134     |
| 35   | Uttar Pradesh               | 1,09,79,367 | 5,78,958   |
| 36   | Uttarakhand                 | 4,31,341    | 1,05,489   |
| 37   | West Bengal                 | 30,28,826   | 3,67,015   |
|      | INDIA                       | 4,99,87,314 | 75,90,456  |