Covid vax drive for 12 to 14 age group to commence today

kolkata: State is all set to start vaccination among adolescents in the age group 12-14 and precautionary doses will also be applied on the senior citizens from Monday.

MMIC Health in Kolkata Municipal Corporation Atin Ghosh said that vaccination among the adolescents in the age group 12-14 will start at 34 health centers run by the KMC from Monday. There will be two health centres in each borough.

City's Mayor Frihad Hakim already announced that the vaccination will be administered among the adolescents from Chetla Girls' School at free of cost. Various schools in the state will also start vaccination among this age group. Those who will get a jab have to register on the Cowin portal.

State health department earlier announced that Covid vaccination among the adolescents in the age group 12-14 will be started in Bengal from next Monday. The department also issued necessary directives to all the district magistrates and the chief medical officer of health besides the Kolkata Municipal Corporation Commissioner.

Besides, adolescents in the age bracket 12-14, precautionary doses will be administered among the people of 60 years and above. Only CorBEvax vaccine would be used for the beneficiaries in the age group 12-13 and 13-14 years.

As per the government directives, beneficiaries can self register through an existing account on Cowin of a family member or by creating a new account through a unique mobile number. Appointments can be booked online or onsite (Walk in) for 12-14 years. For these beneficiaries the option for vaccination would only be CorBEvax. Vaccination of 12-14 years would be conducted through dedicated vaccination sessions (earmarked Covid vaccination centers for vaccination of 12-14 years age group) to avoid their unintended vaccination with any other Covid vaccines.

Vaccinator has to ensure that the vaccine is administered to only those children who have completed the age of 12 years on the date of vaccination. The CorBEvax will be given from government run vaccination centres only. Two doses of the said vaccine will be given intramuscularly in a dose of 0.5 ml at an interval of 28 days.

The prioritisation and sequencing of this precautionary dose would be based on completion of 9 months (39 weeks) from the date of administration of the second dose. Vaccination of precaution dose should be with the same vaccine which was applied earlier.