COVID-19 Vaccination For Children Between 12 To 14 Years Of Age To Start Soon

The COVID 19 vaccination for children between 12 and 14 will start soon. Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr Mansukh Mandaviya announced today. Along with vaccination for children, Dr Mandaviya also announced a new plan with regards to the precaution dose.

The Minister took to Twitter to announce this new development in India's rollout of vaccination against the COVID-19. Dr Mandaviya wrote, "If the children are safe then the country is safe! I am happy to inform you that from March 16, Covid vaccination of children in the age group of 12 to 13 and 13 to 14 is starting."

He also added in his tweet about the precaution dose for people above the age of 60, which until now was only allowed in the case of co-morbidities. "Also, everyone aged 60+ will now be able to get precaution doses. I urge the families of children and people in the age group of 60+ that they must get the vaccine," he added.

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COVID 19 Vaccination For Children

As most schools have reopened across the country, there has been an urgent need to vaccinate the children. In January, when the cases of coronavirus and Omicron variant, which was first identified by South African scientists, was peaking, the government rolled out vaccination for children between the age group of 15 to 18.

India, first rolled out a vaccination programme in January last year. In the first phase, frontline workers were vaccinated and then it was expanded to people above the age of 60 in March. Two months after that adults were deemed eligible for the first shot. From January 3, vaccination slots opened for adolescents and precaution doses for healthcare workers, frontline workers including the personnel who were deployed in the Assembly elections in five states--Uttar Pradesh, Manipur, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Goa--from January 10.

The decision to now expand it to the 12 to 14 years of children was taken after it was recommended by the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI). Reports quoted an unnamed official who said, "The vaccination of children in the age group of 12-15 years is most likely to begin from Tuesday. Also, the co-morbidity clause for administering precaution dose to those aged 60 years and above would be removed."

(Feature Image Credit: Indian Express)