MLA to launch the drive in city: DHO

Mysuru: “The Central Government will start the COVID vaccination for those in the 12 to 14 years age category from tomorrow (Mar. 16) and people above 60 years (senior citizens) will be administered the precautionary third dose,” announced Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya yesterday.

The vaccine of choice for children is Corbevax, manufactured by Bio-E, Hyderabad. Corbevax, which is India’s first indigenously developed Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) Protein sub-unit vaccine against COVID-19, has received Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) from India’s drug regulator for the 12 to 18-year age group.

Health Ministry sources said that 7.11 crore children aged between 12 and 14 years would be eligible for the jabs. They are in addition to 7.4 crore adolescents in the 15 to 18 years group who are currently getting two doses of Covaxin.

From Mar. 16, the entire 13.75 crore population above 60 years of age will also be eligible for a precautionary dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

Nearly 84 percent of India’s 94.47 crore of estimated adult population is fully vaccinated, whereas more than 92 percent received a single shot. Among the 7.4 crore of estimated 15-18 years age group, close to 50 percent are fully vaccinated, while 5.6 crore received at least a single shot.

Meanwhile, District Health Officer (DHO) Dr. K.H. Prasad, speaking to Star of Mysore this morning, said that a vehicle has been sent to Bengaluru to bring the vaccine which will be administered to children starting from tomorrow.

KR Constituency MLA S.A. Ramdas will launch the vaccination drive at a programme that will be held at a School in Kuvempunagar tomorrow. The School where the programme is to be held will be decided by this evening, the DHO said adding that the campaign regarding the vaccination drive will also be carried out simultaneously.

“There are about 1.25 lakh to 1.30 lakh children aged between 12 and 14 years in the district. The vaccine for all these children will be administered at all Government, private, aided and un-aided middle schools. The health workers of the District Health Department will visit all these Schools and vaccinate the  students,” he added.