The health department also said precautionary doses would now be given to all people over the age of 60.
The government of West Bengal will roll out the immunization campaign for children aged 12-14 from March 21, although the program was launched across the country on Wednesday, an official said.
The launch of the state’s childhood vaccination campaign was delayed because “the administration was late in receiving the Center’s standard procedures,” he said.
The beneficiaries would only be administered Corbevax and they will be able to book their slots online, although the option of on-site registration will also be available, the state government said on Thursday.
“(The) COVID-19 vaccination for children aged 12-14 will begin on March 21. Only the Corbevax vaccine would be used for the beneficiaries,” the state health department notice said.
The department asked the vaccinators to ensure that the vaccine is “administered only to children who have reached the age of 12 on the date of immunization”.
“Corbevax is only given by government vaccination centers. Two doses of it will be administered with an interval of 28 days,” the notification added.
Special immunization centers will be set up to cover children under the vaccination campaign.
The COVID vaccination centers are allowed to be located on school grounds according to all safety standards, it added.
The health department also said precautionary doses would now be given to all people over the age of 60.
West Bengal reported 94 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, 29 more than the day before, for a total of 20,16,675, the health department said.
The death toll rose to 21,192 as another person succumbed to the disease.
At least 132 people have recovered from the illness since March 17, bringing the total number of cures to 19,94,314, a health department bulletin said on Thursday.
West Bengal now has 1,169 active cases.
As of Wednesday, at least 18,478 samples have been tested, bringing the total number of such clinical trials to 24,563,360.
This post Covid-19: Bengal will launch a vaccination campaign for the 12-14 age group from March 21 was original published at “https://www.financialexpress.com/lifestyle/health/covid-19-bengal-to-roll-out-vaccination-drive-for-12-14-age-group-from-march-21/2464862/”
