PUNE: With the central government directing the states to begin vaccination for children aged 12 to 15 years, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) will start vaccination from Wednesday. According to the civic body, an estimated 1.75 lakh beneficiaries in the city are eligible to get the jab in this age group. Only, Hyderabad-based pharmaceuticals’ company Biological E’s Corbevax will be administered to this age group as per central government guidelines.
The civic body has set up 29 centres for vaccination of this age group, including Kamala Nehru hospital, Aundh Kutir rugnalay, Meenatai Thackeray hospital, Annabhau Sathe Kalamandir, Dr Naidu hospital, Dalvi hospital, Malti Kachi hospital and Sutar hospital amongst others. The civic body has received over 33,400 doses of the Corbevax vaccine, of which 50% will be reserved for those who book a slot online while the remaining for those who get registered on the spot. Specially-abled children in the 12 to 15 years’ age group and eligible for immunisation will be given the vaccine on-the-spot.
Dr Suryakant Deokar, PMC immunisation chief, said, “Those children born before March 15, 2010, will be eligible for Covid immunisation under the age group of 12 to 15 years. The beneficiaries should carry their Aadhar card or other valid identity card during the immunisation. The Divyang children will be given the vaccine through on-the-spot booking but they should carry their certificate. All these beneficiaries will be given only Corbevax vaccine doses.”
Along with the children, the central government has also allowed the administration of precautionary doses to all above 60 years irrespective of comorbidity. Dr Deokar said, “The centres for the elderly would be independent of those where the kids would be vaccinated to avoid wrong vaccine doses from being administered. Apart from this, we already have Covaxin doses and Covishield vaccination carried out at 178 Covid vaccination centres in the city. We are hoping for a mixed response on the first day. Many parents will want to wait and watch on day one due to which the turnout will be less on that day. Any beneficiaries willing to take the dose need to show only their Aadhar card and school/college-issued identity card.”
{{/usCountry}}Along with the children, the central government has also allowed the administration of precautionary doses to all above 60 years irrespective of comorbidity. Dr Deokar said, “The centres for the elderly would be independent of those where the kids would be vaccinated to avoid wrong vaccine doses from being administered. Apart from this, we already have Covaxin doses and Covishield vaccination carried out at 178 Covid vaccination centres in the city. We are hoping for a mixed response on the first day. Many parents will want to wait and watch on day one due to which the turnout will be less on that day. Any beneficiaries willing to take the dose need to show only their Aadhar card and school/college-issued identity card.”
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