BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh government will administer Covid-19 vaccine doses to as many as 50 lakh children between the age group of 15 yrs and 18 yrs from January 3. Central government has rolled out a pan-India vaccination programme from January 3.
Similarly, 72.83 lakh workers including 4.9 lakh health care workers, 5.4 lakh frontline workers and 62.5 lakh people above 60 years of age will be administered booster dose in Madhya Pradesh from January 10.
State immunisation officer Dr Santosh Shukla, talking to Free Press, said, “ Around 6 per cent of 8.25 crore --total population of state—are children of this age group 15 years to 18 years. Similarly, booster dose will be administered to around 72.83 lakh workers including health care, frontline workers.”
He further said, “Children will be administered vaccines in schools while 60 plus beneficiaries will get the jabs at their home. But such a decision has been taken to prevent crowding at vaccination centres, however, if anyone visits vaccination centres, they will be administered the vaccine there.”
PM Narendra Modi, in his televised speech on Saturday night, had announced an extension of the Covid-19 vaccination programme for children aged 15-18 and booster doses for healthcare workers, frontline workers and those above the age of 60 who have comorbidities. While the vaccines for children will be rolled out from January 3, the booster doses will begin from January 10.
Scientists have been urging the government as the omicron variant spreads in various parts of the country. Even doctors also recently came out in favour of vaccines for children.
