Madhya Pradesh: COVID-19 vax drive for 12-to-14-year-olds to begin on March 23

The vaccination drive against the Coronavirus for children in the age group of 12 to 14 years will begin in Madhya Pradesh on March 23 for which 30 lakh doses of Corbevax vaccine have been received, a senior health official said on Saturday, March 19. The national vaccination drive for the 12-14 age group began on March 16 nationwide. The health official had then said that the drive will begin in MP after March 22, once necessary training is given to the frontline staff.

"We have been sent 30 lakh doses of Biological E's intramuscular vaccine Corbevax to districts across the state," Madhya Pradesh Immunisation Director Dr Santosh Shukla told PTI. "The training of staffers concluded on March 17 and we are ready to roll out the vaccination drive. We believe in quality and that is why we are a topper in vaccinations," he added.

Dr Shukla said that those born in 2008-2009 would be covered in the vaccination drive. Besides this, children born on March 22, 2010, will be also eligible for receiving shots on March 23 on completion of 12 years, he added. The MP immunization director also said that 11.43 core doses of anti-COVID-19 vaccines have been administered so far in the state.

Regarding preparations for the March 23 drive, he said that ORS packets and water would be kept at the vaccination centres and would be given to children, if needed, in view of the hot weather. Dr Shukla said that parents of 12-14-year-olds should give them breakfast before sending them to the centres. 

Amid the declining trend of new COVID-19 cases in MP and the rest of the country, Dr Shukla cautioned against lowering one's guard and cited a recent surge in infections in China. "It does not take time for the new variant to cross over to other countries," he added.