Covid jabbing for age group 12-14 yrs begins

New Delhi: Covid vaccination drive for the 12 to 14-year-old was rolled out across India on Wednesday except for Madhya Pradesh where it will begin after March 22 once the frontline staffers get the necessary training. The drive has begun with Biological E's Corbevax vaccine to be administered 28 days apart. As of March 1, 2021, there were 4.7 crore children aged 12 and 13 years in the country.

Also, all people aged 60 and above have been made eligible for the precaution dose to Covid vaccine. The prioritisation and sequencing of the dose would be based on the completion of nine months to 39 weeks from the date of administration of the second dose.

On the occasion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the country is in a much better position to fight the Covid pandemic but people must keep following all precautions. Highlighting the journey of India's vaccination drive, he noted, "We began work to create vaccines in early 2020 to protect our citizens and strengthen our fight against the pandemic."

"The manner in which our scientists, innovators and the private sector rose to the occasion is commendable. In late 2020, I had visited three of our vaccine manufacturers and got first-hand details of their efforts to protect our citizens," he said. In a tweet, the prime minister mentioned that India has administered over 180 crore doses, which includes over 9 crore doses in the age group of 15-17 and over 2 crore precaution doses. "This forms an important protective shield for our citizens against Covid-19."

It is only in Madhya Pradesh that the vaccination drive for 12 to 14-year-old has been postponed by a week after necessary training is given to frontline staff, an official said. "There are nearly 30 lakh boys and girls aged 12 to 14 years. Their Covid vaccination will begin after March 22," National Health Mission's State director (vaccination) Dr Santosh Shukla told PTI.

He said inoculation of children in this age group will be carried out in schools only and those born in 2008, 2009 and up to March 15, 2010, will be eligible to receive the jab. According to the Centre's guidelines, vaccination of 12-14 years would be conducted through dedicated inoculation sessions to avoid their unintended vaccination with any other Covid-19 vaccines. The national capital had a lukewarm response on the first day of the vaccination drive with the vaccinators hoping for a better turnout during the weekend when the schools are closed.