Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is set to begin Covid-19 vaccination of those in the 12-14 age group from Wednesday on a pilot basis. The vaccination drive will be held at 12 vaccination centres in civic and government hospitals and Covid jumbo centres for the next two days. The union health ministry had announced the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine Corbevax for 12 to 15-year-old adolescents from March 16.
According to BMC health officials, the civic body has received 1.22 lakh doses of Corbevax from the state government. “We have estimated around 3.5 to 4 lakh adolescents in the 12-15 age group in Mumbai which may change subject to data provided by the state government. On a pilot basis, we will start the programme with 12 centres in Mumbai and will increase it after two days,” said Suresh Kakani, additional municipal commissioner.
“We have one-third of the required doses for this population, and therefore will not face a shortage,” Kakani added.
Corbevax vaccine is manufactured by Hyderabad-based Biological E. The two-dose jab will be administered through an intramuscular route with 28 days interval. Each Corbevax vial has 20 doses (0.5 ml).
With data from the state’s health department showing that the case fatality ratio (CFR) in the age group 1-10 and 11-20 rose in the Omicron-driven third wave as compared to the first two waves, paediatricians and health experts said that the vaccination programme for 12 to 15-year-olds will play a vital role in the coming days given that the city has unlocked, and schools have resumed. Case fatality rate refers to the number of deaths per 100 positive cases.
{{/usCountry}}With data from the state’s health department showing that the case fatality ratio (CFR) in the age group 1-10 and 11-20 rose in the Omicron-driven third wave as compared to the first two waves, paediatricians and health experts said that the vaccination programme for 12 to 15-year-olds will play a vital role in the coming days given that the city has unlocked, and schools have resumed. Case fatality rate refers to the number of deaths per 100 positive cases.
{{/usCountry}}In just two months of this year, CFR for 11-20 years was 1.38 (91,080 cases and 27 deaths) and 0.67 (34,062 cases, 13 deaths). In contrast, in the first wave, CFR for 1-10 years was 0.17 (67,110 cases, 91 deaths) and 0.38 (1,29,740 cases and 202 deaths) in the group 11-20, while in the second wave, the percentage was 0.1 (1,46,298 cases, 105 deaths) and 0.3 (3,70,651 cases and 223 deaths), respectively.
Dr Amitav Banerjee, epidemiologist and head of community medicine, Dr DY Patil Medical College, Pune said, co-morbidities in children have been a risk factor and there is a need for detailed study in India.
“Data from developed countries have shown hardly any death in healthy children. Most deaths in Covid-positive children reported in the West have been in those with comorbidities such as leukaemia, endocrine disorders, gross obesity, etc. It would be desirable to have more granular data with details of co-morbidities, if any, across all age groups and particularly in children among those who succumbed to the virus. This would have important implications to plan a rational vaccination strategy,” he said.
The Covid-19 vaccine programme for adolescents aged 15-18 was rolled in January this year.
Dr Sonu Udani, medical director, SRCC Children’s Hospital in Mahalaxmi said as per their observation, the number of sick children in the third wave was more.
“Children with comorbidities did have a problem. We also saw that while we got more children in the second wave, the number of sick children in the third wave was more,” she said, adding that all children should be vaccinated irrespective of comorbidities.
Dr Bakul Parekh, a member of the state paediatric task force said since the children population were not vaccinated, the percentage of them getting affected has increased.
“When the third wave started, children were the only population that was not vaccinated. Also, the omicron variant of the Covid-19 virus was more transmissible. That’s why we saw a steady rise in the percentage. With the vaccination programmes now being rolled out, we will get this population covered too,” he said.
12 centres were 12-15-year-olds will be vaccinated
1. BYL Nair Hospital-Mumbai Central
2. Grant Medical College & Sir J. J. Group of Hospitals, Mumbai Central
3. LTMG Sion Hospital, Sion-East
4. KEM Hospital, Parel
5. Bandra Kurla Complex Jumbo Covid Vaccination Centre, Bandra-East
6. Sevenhills Hospital, Bandra- East
7. Dr RN Cooper Hospital, Vileparle- West
8. NESCO Jumbo Covid Vaccination Centre, Goregaon- East
9. Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Municipal Hospital, Kandivali- West
10. Rajawadi Hospital- Ghatkopar-East
11. Pt. Manmohan Malviya Hospital- Shatabdi Hospital- Govandi
12. Swatantryaveer V.D.Sawarkar BMC Hospital, Mulund
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