Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Monday that over 3.5 crore teenagers between the age limit of 15 and 18 years have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
"Amazing enthusiasm among Young India for #COVID19 vaccination Over 3.5 crore children between the 15-18 Age group have received 1st dose of COVID-19 vaccine, since 3rd January. Congratulations to all my young friends who have got vaccinated," the health minister Tweeted.
The vaccination for the 15-18 years age group began on 3 January, 2022 after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the announcement on 25 December.
Notably, India may begin inoculating children in the 12-14 age group against Covid-19 in March as the 15-18 population is likely to get fully vaccinated by then, Dr N K Arora, chairman of the COVID-19 working group of NTAGI, said on Monday.
Of the estimated 7.4 crore (7,40,57,000) population in the 15-18 age bracket, over 3.45 crore have received the first dose of Covaxin so far and their second dose is due in 28 days, he said.
Meanwhile, seven out of 10 adults in the country have received two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, as India completed one year of the world’s largest vaccination drive on Sunday.
About 46% of adolescents aged 15-18 years have received their first dose less than two weeks after vaccines were rolled out for them on January 3.
According to official estimates, 92% of the eligible adult population has received the first dose of the vaccine, and 70% have received both doses.
