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.
"There is a lack of awareness... we have asked the schools to inform the parents about it. Moreover, the COWIN system is not updated," Himanshu Kaushal, a vaccination officer, said.
The major issue with the vaccination is that each vial has 20 doses and to avoid wastage presence of as many children are required.
"Even if a few children arrive, we cannot administer the COVID-19 vaccine because at least 15 children are needed to open a vial," Kumar noted.
According to officials, about six to seven lakh children in the 12 to 14 years age bracket are eligible for vaccination.
Stressing the importance of vaccination to rein in the pandemic, Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar cautioned people against letting their guard down after inaugurating inoculation for those aged between 12 and 14 years in the state.
He claimed that in the days to come vaccinations will be available for even the newborn.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma appealed to people to get their children inoculated and assured them the vaccine is safe. "But it should not be taken in an empty stomach."
Buoyed by the declining number of Covid cases in the country, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath claimed that even if there is a fourth wave of the pandemic, the state is well equipped to deal with it.
As many as 84.64 lakh children in the 12-14 age group are to be vaccinated, he said.
In Maharashtra, the government has directed officials to hold 10 dedicated sessions in each district as the state targets to vaccinate 39 lakh children under this inoculation drive.
The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16, 2021, with the healthcare workers getting inoculated in the first phase. Vaccination of the frontline workers started from February 2 last year.
The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination commenced on March 1 last year for people over 60 years of age and those aged 45 and above with specified co-morbid conditions.
India launched vaccination for all people aged more than 45 years from April 1 last year.
The government then decided to expand its vaccination drive by allowing everyone above 18 years of age to be inoculated against the viral disease from May 1 last year.
The next phase of Covid vaccination commenced from January 3 this year for adolescents in the age group of 15-18 years.
India began administering precaution doses of the vaccines to the healthcare and frontline workers and those aged 60 and above with comorbidities from January 10 this year.
