State issues guidelines to vaccinate 15-18 age group; we have enough stock, says Pune dist admin
Officials from the public health department said that the Pune district administration is in the process to arrange separate centres to conduct vaccination for the 15-18 years age group
PUNE After the Union government issued detailed guidelines for the vaccination drive for those aged 15-18 and precautionary jabs to healthcare, frontline workers and 60 plus age group with comorbidities, health officials also received guidelines from the state government on Wednesday.
Officials from the public health department said that the Pune district administration is in the process to arrange separate centres to conduct vaccination for the 15-18 years age group.
The vaccination will kick start from January 3 with Covaxin, and officials claimed that doses are abundantly available in the district.
“We have to arrange separate vaccination centres for the 15-18 years age group. We have received state guidelines on Wednesday. So, we will plan accordingly,” said Dr Sanjay Deshmukh, deputy director (health) Pune region.
According to the public health department, there are 0.533 million beneficiaries in Pune district, including urban and rural, between the age group of 15-18. Besides this, 0.198 million health workers will be beneficiaries of a ‘precautionary dose’ in the district.
In a letter to states on December 28, by union health ministry it was mentioned that district officials should identify dedicated session sites give shots to those aged 15-18 years to avoid mixing of the vaccine.
Union ministry has also advised states to arrange prominent signage’s and separate vaccination team if the vaccination centre is the same where adult vaccination is underway.
“Doses of vaccine is abundantly available. As of Wednesday, we have 1.48 lakh Covaxin doses and 3.5 lakh doses of Covishield available. We will get more supply in the coming days,” said Dr Deshmukh.
Earlier while talking in Mumbai, health minister Rajesh Tope also indicated that for the 15-18 years old beneficiaries’ vaccine doses could be arranged in schools as well.
“We are assessing if we can conduct vaccination at the school level because if they have to come to centres then it will be time consuming,” said Tope.