Covid-19 vaccination of children in 12-14 age group begins in Gujarat

The COVID-19 vaccination of children in the age group of 12-14 years began at around 2,000 centres in Gujarat on Wednesday to cover 22.63 lakh beneficiaries.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel launched the inoculation drive at a primary school in Borij village in the state capital Gandhinagar, the CM's office said in a statement.

Patel interacted with some of the beneficiary children at the school and encouraged students to get vaccinated. He also interacted with health workers conducting the vaccination drive and lauded their work.

"The vaccine doses will be administered to the eligible children by the state health department in collaboration with the education and women and child development departments, among others," the release said.

Two doses of Biological E's intramuscular vaccine Corbevax would be administered to the children in the 12-14 years age group at an interval of 28 days, as per the Centre's guidelines.

The state health department has secured 23.05 lakh doses of Corbevax for the purpose, and they have been stored in cold chain facilities at a temperature of 2 to 8 degrees Celsius, the CMO said.

"More than 2,500 vaccinators across nearly 2,000 centres in the state will carry out the drive," it said.