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Will begin vax for healthy children from 1Q of 2022

India has created history by administering 100 crore vaccine doses against COVID-19. The target was achieved in 278 days.

India achieved the target of administering the first 25 crore doses in 151 days, the next 25 crore doses in 58 days, and the third 25 crore doses in 36 days. The top five states which have administered the highest number of doses are Uttar Pradesh followed by Maharashtra, West Bengal, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.

Till date, over 664 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered across the world, and India accounts for about 15 percent of this number.

To mark the occasion, the government released a vaccine anthem ― a 3-minute song performed by Kailash Kher. Prime Minister Modi called the milestone a triumph of science.

In an interview to Shereen Bhan, Dr NK Arora, Head of Technical Advisory Group on Vaccines and Head of Operations Research at the National COVID-19 Task Force said vaccination for healthy children is likely to start somewhere in the first quarter of 2022, while children with co-morbid conditions are likely to be on the priority list.

“Children are our most valuable assets and we have to think about them in a composite manner. So, four vaccines are there in the offing ― ZyCov-D, Covaxin, Corbevax from Biological E and Covavax from Serum Institute of India. We are very clear that adult immunization has to completed, and following that healthy children ― 2 years and above ― would be given the vaccine.

However, there are some morbid conditions in some children, and in the coming few weeks that can start as a priority group like we did last time. Most of the children who are healthy, we will start vaccinating them somewhere in the first quarter of 2022.”

He hopes that in the coming 2-3 months there will be an increase in the number of adults taking their second COVID-19 vaccine dose.

“Vaccine immunization took off in June. Prior to that, it moved at a slow pace, and the bulk of the vaccine was Covishield. On the CoWin dashboard, even today the proportion of people taking the second dose is more than those taking the first dose. So, we are moving out from people taking the first dose to people taking the second dose because those who have received the first dose in July are now becoming eligible for the second dose. So, I hope that in the coming two-three months, it will be more people taking the second dose and less people taking their first dose.” CNBCTV18

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