Around 20 lakh children in 12-14 age group eligible for COVID-19 vaccination in Karnataka

Around 20 lakh children in the 12-14 age group have been identified in Karnataka for COVID-19 vaccination, state Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar informed on Wednesday.

"Everybody was waiting to vaccinate their children between 12-14 years of age. Parents and children are very happy. In Karnataka, we have identified about 20 lakh children in this age group. We started today, we would like to vaccinate as early as possible," Sudhakar told ANI.

The children in the said age group will be administered Corbevax vaccine manufactured by Hyderabad-based Biological E. It is India's first indigenously developed Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) protein sub-unit vaccine against COVID-19.

Meanwhile, the co-morbidity clause for administering precaution doses to those aged 60 years has been removed and all above 60 years of the age can be administered with precaution dose starting today.

India commenced its nationwide COVID vaccination drive on January 16, 2021. Starting initially by inoculating vaccines to healthcare workers, it was then expanded to frontline workers, followed by people above 60 years of age and those above 45 years with comorbidities. Later it was also expanded to all above 45 years of age and then those above 18 years of age.

The vaccination drive for those between the age group 15-18 was started on January 3 this year and for administering the precautionary doses to the healthcare workers, frontline workers and sixty plus individuals then commenced on January 10 this year.

India's cumulative vaccination coverage has crossed 180.58 crores, as per government data available till 7 pm yesterday.

( With inputs from ANI )

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