New Delhi: Amid rising cases of Covid-19 and its variant Omicron, teenagers heaved a sigh of relief Monday. They received their first dose of vaccination as the inoculation drive for the 15 to 18 age group began here Monday. The national capital reported 4,099 new Covid-19 cases Monday. It was 28 per cent more than Sunday, and one death due to the disease. The positivity rate rose to 6.46 per cent, according to data shared by the Health Department.
The vaccination drive for the 15 to 18 age group began at 169 vaccination centres across this city.
“This was long awaited. The third wave is already here and considering how aggressive the second wave was, we were all afraid,” said Ritesh Ghosh, a 17-year-old student.
Reema Dutta, a 15-year-old girl said, “We can heave a sigh of relief and can go outdoors while following Covid-19 protocols once we have received the vaccination. The Omicron wave is already scaring us.”
According to the Health Ministry guidelines, which came into effect on Monday, those aged 15 and above will be able to register on CoWIN.
Private hospitals too have geared up for this phase of the exercise. “Whenever schools reopened, I was hesitant to send my son to school because of Covid-19. It will be a relief now that he has received the vaccine,” said Savita Devi, whose son was waiting to get the jab at a Delhi government school.
Trisha Jain said she and her friends have registered on the COWIN portal and will be getting their jabs later this week.
“We can’t believe it took so long for us to get this while children in other countries got it earlier than us. Now the third wave is already here and we are yet to begin vaccination,” Jain pointed out.
The Drugs Controller General of India granted emergency use authorisation to indigenously-developed Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin for children above 12 years with certain conditions December 24.
The CoWIN platform had till Sunday evening recorded over six lakh registrations in the age group of 15-18. The process to vaccinate children has commenced amid a scare of the Omicron variant of coronavirus.