New Delhi: India has taken an important step in protecting its youth population against Covid-19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday evening after lakhs of youngsters in 15-18 year group were inoculated against coronavirus on Monday.
The PM called for more youngsters to get vaccinated in the coming days.
"Today we have taken an important step forward in protecting our youth against COVID-19. Congrats to all my young friends between the age group of 15-18 who got vaccinated. Congrats to their parents as well." "'I would urge more youngsters to get vaccinated in the coming days," Modi tweeted.
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Today we have taken an important step forward in protecting our youth against COVID-19. Congrats to all my young friends between the age group of 15-18 who got vaccinated. Congrats to their parents as well. I would urge more youngsters to get vaccinated in the coming days!
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 3, 2022 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
">Today we have taken an important step forward in protecting our youth against COVID-19. Congrats to all my young friends between the age group of 15-18 who got vaccinated. Congrats to their parents as well. I would urge more youngsters to get vaccinated in the coming days!
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 3, 2022Today we have taken an important step forward in protecting our youth against COVID-19. Congrats to all my young friends between the age group of 15-18 who got vaccinated. Congrats to their parents as well. I would urge more youngsters to get vaccinated in the coming days!
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 3, 2022
Earlier, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said that over 40 lakh people in the 15-18 years age group received their first dose on the first day of vaccination drive for children till 8 pm.
"Well done Young India! Over 40 Lakhs between 15-18 age group received their first dose of #COVID-19 vaccine on the 1st day of vaccination drive for children, till 8 PM. This is another feather in the cap of India’s vaccination drive," Mandaviya said in a tweet.
The COVID-19 vaccination drive for beneficiaries in the 15-18 age group commenced from Monday across the country amid a scare of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. In the guidelines issued on December 27, the Union health ministry said that the vaccine option for this age group would only be indigenously-developed Bharat Biotech's Covaxin.
"Bharat Biotech is proud to serve the nation and contribute to the nationwide vaccine campaign in children which began today. Covaxin is available for use in children 15-18 years. We reaffirm our commitment and preparedness to support the campaign to achieve the desired goal," the biotech company said in a statement.
The vaccination centres across the country witnessed a huge rush on Monday.
"Since morning we have vaccinated more than 47 children and by the grace of God, there was no complication and children are very happy. Although they were earlier anxious, we tried to relax their mind so that they tell their friends too to get the vaccination," said Ritu Malhotra, nursing officer at RML hospital. She said that parents were also enthusiastic while bringing their children to the vaccination centres.
Read: 7.4 Cr beneficiaries aged between 15-18 years identified for Covid vaccine
