Pharmaceutical major Zydus Cadila's COVID-19 vaccine may be available in the near future for children in the age group of 12 to 18 years, the Centre in an affidavit told the Delhi High Court on Friday.

Zydus Cadila has concluded its trial for children between the age group of 12 to 18 and is subject to statutory permissions, the Centre added. The Ahmedabad-based pharmaceutical firm had on July 1, requested emergency use approval for ZyCoV-D, its three-dose COVID shot—the world's first Plasmid DNA vaccine.

It will, however, be a few more days before the country's drug regulator Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) gives it emergency use authorisation, sources told ANI on Monday. The affidavit further submitted that vaccination is the Centre's topmost priority and all efforts are being made to achieve 100 per cent vaccination in the shortest time possible, keeping the availability of vaccine doses in mind.

It further submitted that on May 12, 2021, the Drug Controller General of India permitted Bharat Biotech to conduct clinical trials on healthy volunteers between 2 to 18 years of age, for its vaccine—Covaxin. The affidavit was filed in the Delhi High Court by the Union Health Ministry on a plea filed by a minor, Tia Gupta, seeking immediate vaccination of minors between 12 to 17 years.