Manipur, along with other states in India, will begin COVID-19 vaccination drive for children in the age group of 12-14 years in every school in the state on Wednesday (March 16), official sources said.
The Union Health Ministry announced that Covid-19 vaccine Corbevax manufactured by Biological E Limited, Hyderabad, considered "a safer vaccine for children", will be administered to children in 12-14 years age group.
Addressing the press meet held at Family Welfare Department, conference hall, State Immunization Officer, T Manihar announced that the vaccination drive for 12-14 years children will be launched at RD Wing and vaccine ‘Corbevax’ has been distributed in every district.
The Union Government after due deliberations with scientific bodies has decided to start Covid-19 vaccination for 12-13 years and 13–14-years age groups (those born in 2008, 2009 and 2010, those who are already above 12 years of age) of the population from March 16, 2022, said Manihar.
Target percentage of vaccination for children of 12-14 years is 1 lakh 20, 000, for 12-13 years children, is 60,000 and for 13-14 years children, the target is 60,000 targets.
Children of 12-14 years can get vaccination from vaccination centres and schools, as school is open, said Manihar. He said vaccination will continue as new variants may emerged.
Director of family welfare, N Shamjai announced that everyone aged 60 years and above can now get precautionary doses. He said that before it was only for those 60 years old people who have comorbidity but now anyone who attains 60 years can get a dose.
The countrywide Covid vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16, 2021with healthcare workers (HCWs) getting inoculated in the first phase. The vaccination of frontline workers (FLWs) started on February 2, 2021.
The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination commenced from March 1 for people over 60 years of age and those aged 45 and above with specified comorbid conditions. The country launched vaccination for all aged more than 45 years from April 1, 2021.
The government then decided to expand its vaccination drive by allowing everyone above 18 to be vaccinated from May 1 last year. The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination commenced on January 3 this year for adolescents aged 15-18 years. Vaccination for 12-14 years group is the sixth phase. An amount of 0.5ml vaccine will be administered, Manihar said.
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