COVID-19: Preparations in full swing at Mumbai's BKC Jumbo centre to vaccinate children aged 15-18 years

Mumbai's BKC Jumbo vaccination center reopened and the preparations are in full swing for COVID-19 vaccination of children falling in the age group of 15-18 years which is scheduled to commence from January 3.

Speaking to ANI, Dean of the vaccination center Dr. Rajesh Dhere said the instruction has been received from the state government and the preparations are underway here in the BKC center.

"BKC Covid center has reopened from January 1. Vaccination of children for 15-18 years will start tomorrow. We have started taking international passengers from today," Dhere said.

3208 beds are available here, he added.

"We have made a special arrangement for children so that they feel comfortable. There are separate waiting and observation rooms are available for them," Dhere said.

"The motivating notes are written on the board so that they feel comfortable talking vaccination," he said.

Different wards are allocated to every BKC Jumbo center, a minimum of 500 children will be vaccinated in one day, he added.

Talking about the vaccination benefits, Dhere said "If People vaccinated with double doses come into Omicron contact, the fatality rate becomes very negligible in them. Yes, the vaccination is certainly helping us." In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement, the country is preparing to begin the COVID-19 vaccination drive for 15-18-year-old children from Monday.

PM Modi on December 25, 2021, had announced that the vaccination for the age-group 15-18 years is scheduled to begin from Monday while administration of precautionary third dose for the vulnerable categories is to commence from January 10, 2022.

In the context of the vaccination of the age group 15-18 years, the Union Health Secretary informed the States and UTs that only 'Covaxin' is to be administered in this population category and additional doses of 'Covaxin' will be sent to all states and UTs.

Those with the birth year of 2007 or before will be eligible for vaccination under this category.