Jabs for adolescents

Amid apprehensions over a fresh surge in cases of Omicron variant of the coronavirus, the enthusiastic response to the vaccination for teenagers in the age group of 15-17 years that began on Monday is a welcome development as part of the protocol to keep Covid-19 at bay. With restrictions increasing, the younger lot may find the administering of vaccine as a health safeguard as schools and colleges prepare to reopen and travel plans are made. Aware of its shortcomings, the government’s vaccination strategy has been cautious, increasing its reach gradually, targeting the teenagers only after a substantial chunk of the adult population has been covered.

The availability and access to vaccines will remain a challenge till the whole of the eligible population is covered, the emergence of variants of the virus not helping matters. For now, Covaxin has been approved for those in the 15-17 age group, with the government clarifying that those 18 years or above can be administered the other vaccines available. With this comes the responsibility to streamline the logistics to avoid confusion and make the exercise convenient. While vaccination for adolescents is still in its early days, efforts should be made to avoid a repeat of the instances where adverse effects can cause vaccine hesitancy. Getting inoculated should be seen as an act of encouragement for the societal well-being and not a compulsory measure.

With elections to the states of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Manipur and Goa expected to be held in the weeks ahead, along with the likelihood of the involvement of young adults in the exercise, the comment by UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath that Omicron is common viral fever and Covid is nearing its end can only be termed as irresponsible. Allaying apprehensions is fine, but a casual and reckless attitude is not called for when the CM’s own state witnessed bodies floating in the rivers during the second Covid wave. Poll-bound states should ramp up vaccination instead of indulging in inanities.