Karnataka kickstarts vaccination drive for students aged 15-18 years even as COVID cases continue to rise

With increasing cases of COVID and Omicron among students in schools and colleges, the Karnataka government finally launched a vaccination drive for students aged between 15 to 18 years from January 3. Chief Minister, BS Bommai launched the vaccination drive at the BBMP High School and Degree college in Basaveshwara Nagar. He said, "On day one itself, we have planned to administer the vaccine to 6 lakh children in over 4,000 sessions across the state. Children born in and before 2007 are eligible for vaccination. Since the state is administering Covaxin, the second dose will be given after 28 days. Our state has to administer vaccination on 31.75 lakh students in the 15 to 18 years age group. Currently, we have a stock of 16 lakh doses. Hence, we have given the go-ahead to all the districts."

In the coming months, schools and colleges will be the vaccination centre and the government has directed the college and school authorities to provide support staff and space. If children miss taking the vaccination on particularly assigned days at school or college then they must be sent to the nearby health centre. Schools that are conducting online classes must decide on a particular set of days in months to administer the vaccination. 

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While children coming to school will be given the vaccination shot at the campus, what about the school dropouts? For this, different departments including RDPR, Urban Development Department and Labour Department must work to mobilise such children towards government health care centres.