Over 70% children in 15-18 age group administered first dose of Covid vaccine: Govt

New Delhi: Over 70 per cent of India's adolescents in the 15-18 age group have received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine so far, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Sunday. He also appealed to all those in this age group who are eligible for vaccination to get inoculated at the earliest.

"Young India further strengthening the world's largest vaccination drive. Over 70% of our youngsters between 15-18 age group have received their 1st dose of COVID19 vaccine," Mandaviya said. "I appeal to all eligible young friends to get vaccinated at the earliest," he added.

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Health ministry data showed over 1.47 crore beneficiaries in the 15 to 18 age group are fully vaccinated. With the administration of more than 49.16 lakh doses in a span of 24 hours, the cumulative COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country have exceeded 172.81 crore, according to provisional reports till 7 am.

The estimated population of beneficiaries in the 15-18 age group is 7.4 crore for 2021-22, according to the Registrar General of India. Vaccination of children aged between 15 and 18 began from January 3 across the country.

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The Union health minister said on Saturday that the central government will roll out COVID-19 vaccination for children in the age group of 5 to 15 years as soon as it receives recommendations to that effect from a group of experts. Mandaviya told this to reporters here when he was asked about the government's approach towards the vaccination for children in the age group of 5 to 15 years. He said the group of experts has so far not made any recommendation on the vaccination of this category.