NASHIK: Even though India has started vaccinating children aged 12 to 14 years from Wednesday as it expanded its COVID-19 vaccination coverage, as doses of this new vaccine could not be available in Nashik district in time, it was decided to make planning first before administering the doses to the kids. Hence, the vaccination programme has been postponed.
As many as 37,000 doses of vaccine have become available yesterday, and they are being distributed in 15 talukas. This has been reported by the district administration. The doses will be administered only after proper planning and in a phased manner, it said. The COVID-19 vaccine to be administered to those in the 12-14 age group would be Corbevax, which is manufactured by Biological Evans, Hyderabad. The vaccination would be started in the district in phases.
About five lakh children in this age group are included in the Nashik District, and the health department of Zilla Parishad has planned to give this vaccine to all of them. After making the vaccine available to all children above the age of 15, boys and girls between the ages of 12 and 14 will now be vaccinated with the new coronavirus vaccine Corbevax.
The aim is to vaccinate about 31 lakh children in the state. The second dose will be given at an interval of 28 days after the first dose of Corbevax. The health department has decided to conduct a vaccination campaign in schools as the vaccine will be given to students of classes VI, VII and VIII in general.
District Collector holds meeting
District Collector Gangadharan D held a review meeting about vaccination. He instructed the authorities to increase vaccination. He also suggested that 90% vaccination should be completed at the earliest to free the district from restrictions. Vaccination nodal officers, taluka level officers, medical officers were present.
