India begins child vaccination for Covid; over 12 lakh 15-18 year olds register

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 3

A total of 12,57,603 children aged 15 to 18 had registered at the government’s COWIN portal as of Monday morning and counting as India began the rollout of children’s Covid inoculation.

The online registrations continued to rise with all 15 to 18 year olds to be allowed the option of walk-in registrations from Monday.

Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin, recently approved for emergency use in children, would be administered, with the Centre warning states and UTs against any mixing of vaccine shots.

Stressing on the need to ensure smooth implementation of new vaccination guidelines, including for 15 to 18 year olds, from tomorrow, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya advised states and UTs to ensure the orientation of vaccinators and vaccination team members and identify dedicated session sites for vaccination of 15-18 years age-group. 

“To avoid the mixing-up of vaccines during administration, separate Covid vaccination centres, separate session sites, separate queue (if at same session where adult vaccination is going on) and separate vaccination team (if at same session site) should be ensured. States and UTs are also advised to share their requirement of vaccine doses through district-wise estimation of beneficiaries using Co-WIN. They were urged to plan for distribution of Covaxin to identify session sites well in advance and publish sessions for at least 15 days to provide sufficient visibility,” the health ministry said on Monday as India rushed to inoculate people to contain the spread of omicron with new cases rising for the sixth day.

The second dose to 15-18 year olds will be given after 28 days of the first.

As the child vaccinations started, Health Ministry Additional Secretary Vikas Sheel tweeted, “ Only COVAXIN is approved for less than 18 years. People 18+ (i.e. born in 2004 or before)-are eligible for all vaccines, including COVISHIELD. Children age 15-17 years (born in 2005, 2006, 2007)-eligile only for COVAXIN. Validations in place in Co-WIN.”

As of Sunday night, 145.7 crore doses had been administered to adults in India. 

The government said 90 per cent adults had received the first dose and 65 per cent had received both doses.

"In the fight against Covid, India’s national Covid vaccination programme has been one of the most successful and largest compared to many developed Western nations with significantly low population base to vaccinate," the health ministry said. It said in case of first dose coverage to the eligible population, the US has covered only 73.2 per cent of the population, the UK 75.9 per cent and France 78.3 per cent.

Similarly, for the second dose of vaccine, the US has covered only 61.5 per cent of its population, the UK 69.5 and France 73.2 per cent.

“India has covered over 65 per cent of the eligible population with the second dose of vaccine against Covid. Further, over 11 states/UTs in India have achieved 100 per cent of first dose vaccination, while three states and UTs have achieved 100 per cent vaccination,” said the ministry.