Media reports claiming 15-18 yrs COVID Vaccination Guidelines mentioning that COVAXIN has WHO EUL for this age group are Misleading: Ministry of Health

Some media reports are suggesting that the approval for Covaxin vaccine for 15-18 yrs age group has been given despite WHO not having accorded Emergency Use Listing (EUL) to its use for 15-18 yrs age group. Such reports are highly ill- informed, misleading and far from the truth.

Guidelines have been issued by the Union Ministry of Health& Family Welfare. These guidelines at no place mention about EUL by WHO. The Guidelines issued by the Union Health Ministry on 27^th December 2021, under the heading “New beneficiaries aged 15-18 years” at sub-heading (e), page 4 state that “For such beneficiaries, option for vaccination would only be available for Covaxin as this is the only vaccine with EUL for the age-group 15-18“.

The EUL by CDSCO, the National Regulator, for Covaxin vaccine for age group 12-18 yr age was accorded on 24th December 2021.  Subsequently, the Guidelines for vaccination of 15-18 yr age group of young adults and precaution dose for other identified categories was issued by a Union Health Ministry on 27^th December 2021. These are available on the Health Ministry’s website and can be accessed at –

https://www.mohfw.gov.in/pdf/GuidelinesforCOVID19VaccinationofChildrenbetween15to18yearsandPrecautionDosetoHCWsFLWs&60populationwithcomorbidities.pdf

Some media reports are suggesting that Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has in a meeting with the Election Commission of India (ECI) yesterday suggested that the “COVID situation in the country is nothing to be worried about” and “there is no cause of alarm or concern in the view of very few cases of Omicron in the poll bound states”. Such reports are highly ill- informed, misleading and far from the truth. These reports have a very high tendency to start a mis-information campaign in the midst of a pandemic.

The Union Health Secretary in his meeting with ECI presented the overall global and domestic status of spread of COVID, as well as Omicron, in the country. Details were also presented on status of preparedness of the public health response within the States for control and management of the increasing numbers of COVID cases. The focus of the presentation was on the 5 poll bound States and their neighbouring States.

PIB Release ID: 1788216