COVID-19 vaccination camps for children to set up in Gujarat schools

The health department of Gujarat has decided to approach schools in coordination with the education department to cover an estimated 34-35 lakh beneficiaries.

The Gujarat government has decided to set up COVID-19 vaccination camps at schools to inoculate as many as 35 lakh children who lie between the age group of 15 to 18 years, a senior official informed HT. The Central government has already announced that the online registration for vaccination for children will commence from January 1. According to the guidelines issued by the Union Health Ministry, children in this age group will receive only Covaxin doses.

The health department of Gujarat has decided to approach schools in coordination with the education department to cover an estimated 34-35 lakh beneficiaries. While online registration will begin from January 1, on-site registration is also available.

Also Read: COVID-19 Vaccine for Children: Registration begins Jan 1; Know eligibility criteria, docs required

According to HT, Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Manoj Aggarwal told, “We are making preparations to set up camps at schools. Vaccination teams will cover schools in a cluster of villages...We have enough stock of Covaxin and will be able to provide vaccines to children starting January 3.”

The door-to-door vaccination campaign organised by the Health Department of Gujarat will cover children as well. There is a stock of at least 45 lakh vaccine doses in Gujarat at present. Currently, 6.80 lakh persons in the categories of healthcare workers, frontline staff and senior citizens with comorbidities are eligible in the state for `precaution dose' (third dose) of vaccines which is to be administered nine months after the second dose, Aggarwal said.

The minister added, "A total of 6.24 lakh healthcare and 13.44 lakh frontline workers have received first and second doses in Gujarat...3.21 lakh healthcare workers and 3.19 lakh frontline staff will be eligible for the booster dose by January 10," the official added. Also, at least 37,000 senior citizens will be eligible for the booster dose by January 10. "There are 65.42 lakh people aged 60 and above in Gujarat, and a majority of them have received their second dose. At least 20 per cent are likely to be comorbid, which comes to around 13 lakh.”

The registration process for vaccination for children would be the same as for adults, the Union government guidelines informed. Eligible persons can book precaution doses through their existing Co-WIN account. Eligibility will be based on the date of second dose as recorded in the Co-WIN system which will send an SMS when the dose is due.

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