With the second phase of the COVID-19 immunisation campaign slated to begin on January 3, state administrations around the country are gearing up to vaccinate young adults aged 15 to 18. The Centre has requested state governments to train vaccination personnel and officers who would be inoculating teens and establish specific vaccination centres for them. Where separate vaccination centres are impossible to install, the state is asked to assign respective immunisation teams and lines for minors.
All Set for Launch
Both walk-in and online registrations through Cowin facilities will be accessible for eligible youth. On-site registration will commence on January 3, and roll on the Cowin portal will begin on January 1. For the time being, only Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin would be used to vaccinate teenagers all around the country.
The government of Odisha has begun making plans to vaccinate over 25 lakh youngsters in the state who are under the age of 18 against COVID-19. Dr Bijay Panigrahi, Director of Family Welfare and state vaccination in charge, registration for 25.53 lakh youngsters will commence soon on the COWIN portal, and vaccination sessions will be performed in schools and institutions.
Detailed Information Is Yet To Be Received
We have yet to receive instructions on the type of vaccine to use and the number of doses to give them. “The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has granted emergency use authorisation to Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin and Zydus Cadila’s ZyCoV D for children over the age of 12,” he said, adding that the state government is well prepared for the vaccination campaign, but is awaiting official guidelines before deciding how to proceed.
The West Bengal government is preparing to vaccinate approximately 50 lakh children aged 15 to 18. According to a storey in the Times of India, state family welfare commissioner Ashim Das Malakar, who is in charge of the overall vaccination plan in Bengal, said, “Our data on youngsters eligible for the vaccine and adults for the third dosage is ready.” “Vaccine supply should no longer be a problem, and we have the necessary infrastructure in place.”
From Delhi to Maharashtra, How States Gearing Up To Vaccinate Kids Above 15 From January 3
