kolkata: Bengal government has administered over 11 lakh Corbevax doses among the adolescents in the age bracket of 12-14 years in the past one week. Health department has already managed to inoculate over one third of the total population belonging to this age group. There are a total of over 30 lakh adolescents in this age group, who will be administered with Corbevax doses. Health officials believe that all the remaining teenagers will get the first dose within the next two weeks.
Vaccination for those aged around 12-14 years started a little later in Bengal. Unlike other states, where the vaccination drive among this age group started on March 16, the Health department in Bengal had initiated the inoculation among beneficiaries between 12 and 14 years on March 21.
In another development, state has been able to successfully administer both doses of Covid vaccine on 6.11 crore adult population of Bengal while around 7.12 crore people have already received the first dose of vaccine. Health department is hopeful that they will soon be able to reach their target by covering 7.24 crore people. Around 84 per cent of the total eligible population has got both doses of vaccine so far. In case of single dose vaccination, around 98 per cent of the population has been covered by the Health department so far.
It may be mentioned here that adults are given any of the two vaccines — Covishield or Covaxin. In the case of adolescents belonging to the age bracket 15-18 years, whose immunisation drive began on January 3 this year, Covaxin doses are administered. Corbevax vaccine is administered only in case of teenagers in the age group 12-14 years, whose inoculation drive was started in the state on March 21. State has received 31 lakh doses of Corbevax, which will be more than enough to cover the entire population in this age group with the first dose. Around 18 lakh Covid warriors, including the health workers, frontline workers and people above 60 years have received the precautionary shots in this phase.
According to Health department sources, over 70 per cent of beneficiaries in the age group 15-18 years have already received their first dose. The vaccination drive for this age group started in the state on January 3. There are a total over 48 lakh adolescents in this age group who will be vaccinated. Only 30 per cent of the population is yet to get the jab.