Over 1 crore teens vaccinated against COVID-19 in India: Government

NEW DELHI: More than 1 crore (1,24,02,515) COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered to children in the 15-18 age group since the inoculation drive began for them on January 3, the Union health ministry said on Wednesday.

With this, the cumulative doses administered in the country has increased to over 148.58 crore (1,48,58,19,491), it said. More than 82 lakh (82,26,211) vaccine doses had been administered till 7 pm on Wednesday. This includes 37,44,635 doses administered to beneficiaries in the 15-18 age group, the ministry said.

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The daily vaccination tally is expected to increase with the compilation of the final reports for the day by late night. In a tweet, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya praised the enthusiasm among adolescents for vaccination and congratulated them on this achievement. He also appealed to all eligible adolescents to get vaccinated at the earliest.

The countrywide COVID-19 vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 with healthcare workers getting inoculated in the first phase. The vaccination of frontline workers started on February 2. The next phase of vaccination commenced from March 1 for people aged above 60 and those aged 45 and above with specified co-morbid conditions. The country launched vaccination for all people aged above 45 from April 1.

The government then decided to expand the vaccination drive by allowing everyone above the age of 18 to get vaccinated from May 1. The latest phase of COVID-19 vaccination for children aged between 15 and 18 commenced from January 3.