New Delhi: On March 16, India begun inoculating children between 12-14 years against COVID-19, as it expanded its vaccination coverage in the nation. Furthermore, now everyone over the age of 60 can get the precautionary dose, which was earlier only available for comorbid citizens in that age group.
Children in the age group of 12-14 are being vaccinated with two doses of Hyderabad based Biological E’s intramuscular vaccine Corbevax, at an interval of 28 days. The Health Ministry guidelines have stated that the vaccine will be free of cost and one can register through CoWin app or walk-in to a vaccination centre.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to twitter to encourage all the eligible children to get the vaccine and protect themselves against COVID-19.
Today is an important day in India’s efforts to vaccinate our citizens. Now onwards, youngsters in the 12-14 age group are eligible for vaccines and all those above 60 are eligible for precaution doses. I urge people in these age groups to get vaccinated.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 16, 2022
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan had earlier confirmed that only Corbevax vaccine would be used for the beneficiaries in the age group of 12 to 14 years. It has also become the third vaccine against COVID-19 in India and will be available at all centres where free vaccination is available.
Beneficiaries between 14-15 years have already been covered during the vaccination for 15-18 years’ age group, the Centre said on Tuesday.
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According to the guidelines, as of March 1, 2021 there are as many as 4.7 crore children aged 12 and 13 years in the country.
The country widened its vaccination drive on January 1, 2022 by starting the inoculation for children aged between 15 and 18 years. On January 10, 2022, the country also started administering the ‘precautionary third dose’ to the healthcare workers, frontline workers, and citizens above 60 years with severe health conditions.
As of March 16, The cumulative vaccine doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive has exceeded 180.60 crore.
NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – the LGBTQ population, indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fight malnutrition, mental wellbeing, self care, science and health, adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.
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