France, May 1 -- India has approved Covid vaccines for childrenaged between 5 and 12 years of age following calls from experts, schools and parents to speed up the health drive that has seen millions of teensinoculatedsince January.

The national drug regulator in India has approved US-origin Corvevax and Covaxin -indigenously developed shots-for the renewed inoculation program and saysthe government will soon give the final clearance to jab the very youngest.

India, the second worst-hit nation globally after the United States, turned to the childrenas it reported nearly 3,000 new infections on Wednesday, the highest single-day jump since 13 March when cases began to rise after an 11-week lull.

The official case tally has crossed 43 mil...