New Delhi: India will start with the Covid vaccination drive for adolescents aged between 15 and 18 years on Monday under which Bharat BioTech's Covaxin will only be administered to this age bracket, as ordered by the Centre.
Apart from giving the approval to vaccinate this category of beneficiaries, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also announced administering the "precautionary third dose" to the healthcare workers, frontline workers, and citizens above 60 years with severe health conditions from January 10, 2022.
READ | COVID Vaccination For 15-18 Age Group Begins. Know About Eligibility, Registration & More
Over 7 lakh beneficiaries in the 15-18 age group have registered themselves on the CoWIN portal for Covid-19 vaccination as of Sunday at 9.20 PM. The second dose of the Covaxin will be given to them after 28 days.
Here’s How Cities Are Geared Up For The Vaccination Drive
Bihar - Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will launch vaccination for 15 to 18 years of age from IGIMS at 10.30 am on Monday. Health Minister Mangal Pandey will also be present on this occasion.
Mumbai - Environment minister Aaditya Thackeray will inaugurate BKC Covid Centre in Mumbai on Monday. A total of nine Covid vaccination centers have been directed in Maharashtra’s capital to provide vaccination. Vaccines will be provided free of cost to other children in the age group of 15 to 18 years, including students of municipal schools. The facility of online and offline registration will start. Parents can get their children vaccinated by bringing them to the nearest centre.
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"We have made a special arrangement for children so that they feel comfortable. There are separate waiting and observation rooms are available for them," Dean of the BKC Jumbo vaccination center Dr Rajesh Dhere was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Dehradun - Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Dhami will inaugurate a vaccine center for children aged 15 to 18 years at Bannu Ground at 10 am.
Madhya Pradesh - CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan will join the campaign by visiting Subhash School in Bhopal at 10 am on Monday. The state is targeting 15 lakh vaccines by Monday.
Ahmedabad - Covid vaccination campaign for the 15 to 18 years age group will begin in Gujarat from Monday till January 9. The state government will start a week-long special campaign to vaccinate 36 lakh adolescents in the age group of 15 to 18 years from Monday onwards.
A mega campaign will also be launched on January 7, with the main emphasis on vaccinating class 10th students who will be appearing for the board exams this year. The special drive will be run from 9 am to 6 pm from Monday till January 9 at 3,500 centers set up for this purpose. The government aims to vaccinate around 36 lakh adolescents in the age group of 15 to 18 years.