On Monday, more than 40 lakh children aged between 15 and 18 got vaccinated against COVID in the country. Students who got vaccinated said that they were excited with the experience and said everyone should get the jab.
"It was an experience, it being the first day (of the drive). It was a good experience. Everyone should get vaccinated," one student from Kerala said. Another student said she was scared initially, but after receiving the jab there was no problem and the little pain she felt was akin to the vaccine received at 15 years of age.
Similar views were expressed by various other children who had come for the vaccination which will continue till January 10. Kerala Health Minister Veena George, after visiting a Children's Vaccination Centre here, told reporters that 38,417 children between the ages of 15 to 18 years were vaccinated with Covaxin on the first day of the drive.
She further said that 551 centres have been set up in the state for vaccinating children between the ages of 15 and 18 and therefore, it would be possible to complete their vaccination on time. There are 875 vaccination centres for adults, she added.
Pink boards have been put up at Children's Vaccination Centres to avoid confusion, she further said. She also said the response from the children and parents was positive with regard to the vaccination drive. A total of 5,02,700 doses of the vaccine reached the state by Sunday evening and an additional 57,300 doses of Covaxin arrived in Ernakulam by Monday evening, she said and added that more will be provided by the Centre once the current stock was exhausted.
She also said the vaccination would be carried out in a systematic manner and the Health Department has asked the Education Department to furnish the data on the number of eligible children in schools who have been already vaccinated.
