India’s health ministry said on Monday that from March 16, COVID-19 vaccinations would be initiated for children in the age group of 12-14 years. This was necessary as schools have reopened throughout the country with standard restrictions. The vaccination would be done using vaccine maker Biological E. Ltd′s ‘Corbevax’, which received an emergency use approval in February for the 12 to 18 years age group. 

According to government data, more than 90 million children aged between 15 and 17 years have been vaccinated with Covaxin, the vaccine indigenously manufactured by Bharat Biotech. 

In a statement, the ministry said that the government had decided to remove the condition of co-morbidity for people above 60 years to receive a booster shot and everyone above 60 years of age would be eligible for the precautionary dose of COVID-19 vaccine. (Reuters; ET Healthworld, March 14, 2022)