NEW DELHI – Health authorities in India on Monday began vaccinating teens in the age group of 15 to 18, as more states started to enforce tighter restrictions to arrest a new surge stoked by the infectious Omicron variant.
India’s federal health minister Mansukh Mandaviya shared photographs of children getting vaccinated to mark the beginning of the inoculation campaign, and urged India’s children to get vaccinated at the earliest date.
The Indian health ministry said Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin vaccine, which were recently approved for emergency use in children, will be administered to the targeted children.
Media reports said over 1.2 million children in the eligible age group have registered at the government’s web portal for COVID-19 vaccination registration CoWIN so far.
Well done Young India! ✌🏼
Over 40 Lakhs between 15-18 age group received their first dose of #COVID19 vaccine on the 1st day of vaccination drive for children, till 8 PM.
This is another feather in the cap of India’s vaccination drive 💉#SabkoVaccineMuftVaccine pic.twitter.com/eieDScNpR4
— Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) January 3, 2022
Officials said administering the third or booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to health workers, frontline workers and vulnerable senior citizens will begin from Jan. 10.
Meanwhile, India on Monday reported 33,750 fresh Covid-19 cases and 123 deaths. With 10,846 recoveries, the country’s active caseload stood at 1,45,582.
According to the Union Ministry of Health, the Omicron tally in the country has reached 1,700, of which 639 have recovered or been discharged. Maharashtra topped the count with 510 Omicron cases, followed by Delhi with 351 cases.
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