On December 25, 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that children aged 15-18 years will get covid-19 vaccination from January 3, 2022.

Highlights

• He also announced a ‘precautionary’ or third dose for healthcare and frontline workers. The third dose will be administered from January 10.

• People aged above 60 years, with comorbidities will also be eligible for ‘precaution’ dose from January 10, with the recommendation of their doctors.

• According to PM, India will soon have nasal vaccine as well as world’s 1^st DNA vaccine.

Significance of the decision

Amid the rising infection across the world because of Omicron variant of Covid-19, the decision to vaccinate 15–18-year-old children is significant because it will strengthen India’s fight against COVID-19 as well as help students in schools and colleges health wise.

India’s Preparedness against covid-19

• Currently, India has 18 lakh isolation beds, 1.4 lakh ICU beds, 5 lakh oxygen supported beds and 90,000 special beds for kids. India have more than 3,000 functional PSA Oxygen plants. Around 4 lakh cylinders have been provided to states.

• On vaccination front, 141 crore doses have been administered in India. Thus, more than 90 per cent eligible population has been administered with the first dose of vaccine. 61 per cent adult population have been fully vaccinated. Some states have completed 100 per cent vaccination of their eligible population.