Nearly 5 lakh vaccinated in Gujarat on 1st day of drive for 15-18 age group

Over 4.94 lakh children in the age group of 15-18 years were on Monday administered the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on the first day of the week-long drive launched to cover nearly 36 lakh beneficiaries in the new category, the state health department said.

As part of the nationwide inoculation drive against coronavirus for the new group, the Gujarat government launched a special campaign in the morning with the health department setting a target to vaccinate around 36 lakh beneficiaries in the 15-18 age group with the first dose in seven days, including a mega drive on January 7 with a special focus on teenagers who will appear for board examinations.

As per the health department, till 4 pm on Monday, a total of 4,94,317 beneficiaries in the 15-18 age group were administered doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The option for this age group is only Covaxin, a two-dose vaccine developed in the country, according to guidelines issued by the Union health ministry on December 27.

Altogether, more than 7.46 lakh people received their jabs on Monday (including 15-18 age group beneficiaries), taking the count of doses administered in the state so far above the 9-crore mark to 9.04 crore, said the department.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel launched the vaccination campaign for the 15-18 age group from a school at Koba in the state capital Gandhinagar. He arrived at the school in the morning and inspected the facility and also interacted with the beneficiary children.

The state health department said it has made preparations to vaccinate around 36 lakh beneficiaries in this age group in the week-long drive.

Vaccination camps have been set up in schools for the purpose, and those not going to schools will be tracked and inoculated during a mega drive on January 7, officials said.

Health Minister Rishikesh Patel told reporters his department has set up over 6,000 centres for vaccinating the beneficiaries in the new category.

According to the health department, vaccination will be carried out in schools and Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) with officials ensuring that out-of-school children in the 15 to 18 age group are also covered.

In addition, institutions for the disabled, orphanages and facilities for the care of children with mental health issues will also be covered under the drive.

Online registration for vaccination started on January 1 with the option of on-site enrollment in which a beneficiary can either provide details of his/her Aadhaar card, driving licence or even a mobile number which could either be his/her own or that of parents, friends or schoolteacher-principal, said the health department.

The department said it has sufficient stock of Covaxin.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)