Awaiting central govt letter to start vaccinating 5-12 year-old kids: State immunisation officer

PUNE A day after the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) approved administering two Covid-19 vaccines among the 5-12 years age group, the state government has said that it is yet to get an official letter from the central government to start the immunisation

PUNE A day after the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) approved administering two Covid-19 vaccines among the 5-12 years age group, the state government has said that it is yet to get an official letter from the central government to start the immunisation.

Vaccination drive is underway at a centre at Sahakarnagar on Wednesday. (Rahul Raut/HT PHOTO)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, while addressing a meeting along with state chief ministers and health officials said that vaccination for kids must be top priority.

Even as the DCGI has given its approval, final decision to roll out vaccine as part of national inoculation programme will be after recommendation from the National Technical Advisory Board on Immunisation for Covid-19.

“While the DCGI has approved two drugs for children aged under 12, the vaccine is yet to get approval from the National Technical Advisory Group on immunisation, after which an official letter would be sent to all states to begin vaccinating children. Only after that we would be able to begin the state-wide vaccination drive,” said Dr Sachin Desai, State immunisation officer.