Covid: NTAGI may recommend vax for 5-12 age group today

New Delhi: A decision on vaccinating children aged 5-12 years will be taken on the basis of the recommendation by an expert committee, Union Health minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Thursday.

According to sources, the issue may be discussed in a meeting of National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) scheduled on Friday.

India on Thursday reported 3,303 fresh Covid cases that took its tally to 4,30,68,799, while the active cases increased to 16,980, according to Union Health ministry data.

The daily cases crossed the 3,000-mark after 46 days.

The death toll due to COVID-19 climbed to 5,23,693 with 39 more fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.

The active cases comprise 0.04 per cent of the total infections. The national COVID-19 recovery rate stood at 98.74 per cent, the ministry said.

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 0.66 per cent and the weekly positivity rate was recorded at 0.61 per cent, the ministry said.

Meanwhile, Mandaviya told reporters: "The decision (on vaccination for 5-12 age group) will be taken on the basis of the recommendation of an expert committee."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an interaction with chief ministers on Wednesday had said that the government's priority is to vaccinate all eligible children at the earliest with special campaigns in schools.

The total Covid vaccine doses administered in India crossed 188.62 crore on Thursday, the ministry said. Over 20 lakh vaccine doses were administered on Thursday till 7 pm, it said.

The daily vaccination tally is expected to increase with the compilation of final reports for the day by late in the night.