15-18 Age Group Vaccination: Health Minister Calls For Measures To ‘Avoid Mixing-Up Of Vaccines’

Mandaviya advised the states and union territories to ensure the orientation of vaccinators and vaccination team members for vaccination of 15 to 18 years age group.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya | File Image

New Delhi: Stressing on the need to ensure smooth implementation of new vaccination guidelines, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Sunday advised the states and union territories to take necessary measures, including setting up separate vaccination centres, to avoid mixing-up of Covid vaccines during administration of shots to those in the 15-18 years age group.

Mandaviya advised the states and union territories to ensure the orientation of vaccinators and vaccination team members for vaccination of 15 to 18 years age group.

He also called for the identification of dedicated session sites for vaccination of 15 to18 years age group.

“To avoid the mixing-up of vaccines during administration, separate CVCs, separate session sites, separate queue (if at same session where adult vaccination is ongoing) and separate vaccination team (if at same session site) are to be strived for,” Mandaviya said.

The inoculation of children in this age category will begin on Monday.

The Health Minister, who reviewed the public health preparedness to Covid-19 and the progress of national Covid-19 vaccination campaign in view of rising cases of the Omicron variant, also advised the states and union territories to share their requirement of vaccine doses through district wise estimation of beneficiaries using Co-WIN.

The states and union territories were urged to plan for distribution of Covaxin to identified session sites well in advance and publish sessions for at least 15 days to provide sufficient visibility.

Underscoring the critical importance of vaccination drive, Mandaviya said: “We must focus on planning with regard to the 15-18 age group vaccination and precautionary doses for eligible beneficiaries”.

According to a set of new guidelines issued by the Union Health Ministry, the vaccine option for those in the 15-18 age group would only be Covaxin, PTI reported.

The country’s adult population is being administered Covishield and Sputnik V besides Covaxin.

The virtual meeting, attended by the health ministers of various states and principal secretaries/ additional chief secretaries of the states and union territories, was officiated by Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan.