Telangana all set to jab 22 lakh children

Hyderabad: The Directorate of Public Health and Family Welfare of Telangana is set to take up vaccination of 22,78,683 for children in the age group of 15-17 from Monday.

According to health officials, unlike in case of those in the age group of 18 and above, the list of the children who are in the age group of 15 to 17 is available both with the State Government and Central Government. The number of children to be administered the vaccine would depend upon the doses of vaccine issued to the State by the Centre.

The State Government has however made elaborate arrangements to administer the vaccine. Online registration for this segment has been put in place under registration for the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and 12 other municipal corporations. In rest of Telangana districts, vaccination would be by walk-in and offline process. Officials said that detailed guidelines have been issued and accordingly 0.5 mg of Covaxin would be administered as it is the only vaccine with Emergency Use Listing (EUL) for this age group.

According to Director Public Health Dr G Srinivasa Rao, the vaccine will be administered at all primary health centres.

The beneficiaries should be accompanied by their parents. After a gap of 28 days, they will have to take the second dose, Rao added.

He said about 250 teams were involved in the vaccination process. The state health department is also planning to open vaccination camps in schools soon.

For healthcare workers, frontline workers and senior citizens with comorbidities, a booster dose would be given from January 10. Persons above 60 years are expected to take advice from a doctor before opting for the third dose.