Covid vaccination for 12-15 age group & booster dose for 60+ to begin from 16 March

March 13: “Union Government after due deliberations with scientific bodies has decided to start Covid-19 vaccination for 12-13 year and 13-14 year age groups (those born in 2008, 2009 and 2010. i.e those who are already above 12 years of age) of population from 16th March 2022. The Covid-19 vaccine to be administered would be Corbevax manufactured by Biological Evans, Hyderabad,” the Union health ministry said in a statement. Children between ages 15 and 18 are already being administered Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin.

Corbevax, a Covid-19 vaccine developed by Hyderabad-based Biological E, has received emergency use authorisation for children between 12 and 18 years of age from India’s drug regulator. The approval was based on interim results of the ongoing Phase-2 and Phase-3 clinical trials. The Drugs Controller General of India already previously approved the use of Corbevax among adults on December 28 last year.

The Union government will start the Covid vaccination for the 12-14 year age group this week,  Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Monday. The health minister said that the vaccination for 12-13 and for 13-14 age group will start from March 16, Wednesday. In addition to this, people above 60 will be able to take precaution shots, the minister added.

“If children are safe, then the country is safe. I am happy to announce that from March 16, Covid vaccination will start for children belonging to the age group of 12 to 13 and 13 to 14 years. Also, all 60 years and above will now be able to take the precaution dose. I request guardians of all children and persons in the 60 and above age group to come forward and take the vaccine shot,” Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya said.

बच्चे सुरक्षित तो देश सुरक्षित!

मुझे बताते हुए खुशी है की 16 मार्च से 12 से 13 व 13 से 14 आयुवर्ग के बच्चों का कोविड टीकाकरण शुरू हो रहा है।

साथ ही 60+ आयु के सभी लोग अब प्रिकॉशन डोज लगवा पाएँगे।

मेरा बच्चों के परिजनों व 60+ आयुवर्ग के लोगों से आग्रह है की वैक्सीन जरूर लगवाएँ।

— Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) March 14, 2022

The co-morbidity clause for administering precaution doses to those aged 60 years and above has now been removed and so from 16 March all persons above 60 years could now avail this precautionary dose.