Covid-19 vaccines for 12-14 age group, booster doses for all above 60 from March 16

`If the children are safe, then the country is safe,` Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said as he announced the news.

New Delhi: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday (March 14, 2022) announced that the Covid-19 vaccination for 12-14-year-olds and 'precaution dose' for all those above 60 years will begin from March 16.

"If the children are safe, then the country is safe," Mansukh wrote in Hindi as he shared the news on Twitter and urged the families of children and people in the age group of 60+ that they must get vaccinated.

It is notable that the coronavirus vaccine to be administered to the 12-14 years age group would be Corbevax manufactured by Biological Evans, Hyderabad.

"The Union government after due deliberations with scientific bodies has decided to start COVID19 vaccination for 12-13 yr and 13-14 yr age groups (those born in 2008, 2009 and 2010. I.E those who are already above 12 years of age) of the population from March 16, 2022," the health ministry said in a statement.

Earlier, only citizens above 60 years of age with co-morbidity were allowed to be administered precaution doses.

India's Covid-19 vaccination drive

The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 last year with healthcare workers (HCWs) getting inoculated in the first phase. The vaccination of frontline workers (FLWs) started from February 2 last year. The next phase of vaccination commenced from March 1 for people over 60 years of age and those aged 45 and above with specified co-morbid conditions.

The Narendra Modi-led government launched vaccination for all aged more than 45 years from April 1, 2021, and then decided to expand its vaccination drive by allowing everyone above 18 to be vaccinated from May 1.

The next phase of Covid-19 vaccination commenced from January 3 for adolescents in the age group of 15-18 years. The country began administering precaution doses to healthcare workers, frontline workers, including personnel deployed for election duty and those aged 60 and above with co-morbidities, from January 10 this year amid a spike in coronavirus infections fuelled by the Omicron variant of the virus in the country.

Over 180.19 crore Covid-19 vaccine doses administered

India's Covid-19 vaccination coverage has so far exceeded 180.19 crore, as per provisional reports till 7 am on Monday. 

"More than 182.79 crore (1,82,79,40,230) vaccine doses have been provided to States/UTs so far through Govt. of India (free of cost channel) and through direct state procurement category. More than 17.38 Cr (17,38,21,446) balance and unutilized COVID Vaccine doses are still available with the States/UTs to be administered," the Health Ministry informed.

India's daily Covid-19 cases in country lowest in 680 days

India, meanwhile, saw a further dip in daily Covid-19 cases as 2,503 new infections were recorded in the last 24 hours, the lowest in 680 days. The number of active cases has also now dipped to 36,168, which is the lowest in 675 days.

A reduction of 1,901 cases has been recorded in the active Covid-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours. 

The death toll climbed to 5,15,877 with 27 fresh fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.

(With agency inputs)