Covid Vaccination For Kids Aged 12-14 Years Begins Today. Check Guidelines Here

The Covid-19 vaccination of children belonging to the age group of 12 to 14 years is starting from today. Corbevax is the only Covid-19 vaccine which will be administered to this age group. 

Child getting vaccinated | Getty Images

New Delhi: The Covid-19 vaccination of children belonging to the age group of 12 to 14 years is starting from today. Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical company Biological E's Corbevax is the only Covid-19 vaccine which will be administered to this age group. 

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said in a tweet Wednesday that the Covid vaccination of children in the age group of 12 to 14 has started from today.

कोविड टीकाकरण अभियान को आगे बढ़ाते हुए, PM @NarendraModi जी के नेतृत्व में ‘#SabkoVaccineMuftVaccine’ अभियान के तहत 12-14 आयुवर्ग के बच्चों का कोविड टीकाकरण आज से शुरू हो चुका है।

60+ आयु के सब लोग भी आज से प्रिकॉशन डोज लगवा सकेंगे।

आइए मिलकर देश सुरक्षित करे, वैक्सीन लगवायें। pic.twitter.com/sz0eg4zObD

— Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) March 16, 2022

The Health Minister also wrote that all people aged more than 60 years will be able to get precautionary doses from today. "Let's secure the country together, get the vaccine," Mandaviya wrote. 

So far, India has fully vaccinated over two crore teens in the 15-18 age group, according to the health minister.

Corbevax is India's third indigenous Covid-19 vaccine after Covaxin and Zydus Cadila's ZyCoV-D. 

Biological E’s Corbevax is India’s first indigenously developed receptor-binding domain (RBD) protein sub-unit vaccine against Covid-19. The RBD is a part of the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2. The virus uses the spike protein to attach itself to host cells.

Who Will Fall In This Category For Vaccination?

After due deliberations with scientific bodies, the government has decided to start Covid-19 vaccination for children belonging to the age groups of 12 to 13 years, and 13 to 14 years, from March 16, 2022, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said in a statement. 

Around 7.11 crore children will be vaccinated under the new age group, sources told news agency PTI. 

How Kids Aged 12-14 Years Can Register For Vaccination And Elder Citizens For Precautionary Dose

•  Firstly, open the Co-WIN portal using the link www.cowin.gov.in
• Then click on the “Register/Sign In” tab to register your child for the Covid-19 vaccination
• Log in with the phone number and OTP received
• If you are using the same phone number with which you have registered before for vaccination then click on the Add Member button at the top right corner. If you are using a new phone number then tap directly on the Add Member button.
• In the case of children, you will be asked to upload certain documents like the Aadhaar card, PAN card, etc. In absence of the documents, children can also upload school id cards to register.
• As for elderly people, their eligibility will be based on the date of administration of the second dose as recorded in the Co-WIN system.
• The verification for the elderly will be done preferably using Aadhaar.
• Elderly citizens can also use a passport, driving licence, PAN Card, Smart Card issued by RGI under NPR, or pension documents with photographs.
• Then an OTP will be sent to your number. You will be required to verify.
• After the verification is done start booking your slot by entering location, Pincode, etc followed by a tap/click on Book appointment.

How Does An RBD Protein Sub-Unit Vaccine Work?

An RBD protein sub-unit vaccine is one which induces protective immunity by targeting the RBD of the S protein of SARS-CoV-2, which is a harmless protein. The vaccine comprises residues of the RBD protein.

The immune system recognises the S proteins, and creates antibodies and defensive white blood cells. These antibodies will fight the virus if the person becomes infected with the Covid-19 virus in future.

An RBD protein sub-unit vaccine, like Corbebax, helps the immune system recognise the S proteins and create antibodies. 

Earlier this month, Biological E applied for EUA for Corbevax for children belonging to the age group of five to 12. 

On February 21, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) granted emergency use approval to Corbevax for inoculating adolescents aged 12-18 years. Biological E said in a statement that Corbevax has received emergency use authorisation (EUA) from the DCGI for the 12-to-18 age group.

Last year, on December 28, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) had approved Corbevax for restricted use in emergency situations in adults.