Hyderabad, Aug. 31 -- M Somasekhar

The Indian drug regulator's nod to ZyCoV-D, the first vaccine against COVID-19, which is claimed to be effective for children above 12 years and all adults, could well mark an important milestone in managing the pandemic.

The Ahmedabad-based, Zydus Cadila, which has indigenously developed it says, it's the world's first human DNA vaccine (Deoxyribonucleac acid) against COVID-19. It has gone through human trials of over 28,000 people, including over a 1000 adolescents between ages 12-18,with encouraging results.

With this, India now has half a dozen vaccines which have been given the emergency authorisation by the Drug Controller General of India (DGCI). It means both access and growing numbers of vacc...