Modi announces Covid vaccine for children, booster doses for frontliners, senior citizens
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi last night announced Covid-19 vaccine for children between 15 and 18 years of age and booster doses for frontline, healthcare workers and those above the age of 60 from January, amidst mounting cases of Omicron.
Children between the age group of 15 to 18 years will be getting the Covid vaccine from January 3, 2022, he said in an unscheduled address to the nation.
"Precaution doses of Covid vaccines will be given to frontline and healthcare workers from January 10 and to senior citizens above the age of 60 and with comorbidities," Modi announced.
He also said nasal vaccine, the world's first DNA vaccine, against Covid would also start in India soon, reports our New Delhi correspondent.
While the demand for the booster doses was being flagged amid the outbreak of the fast-spreading Omicron variant, Modi said India's scientist community takes decisions only after thorough examination.
"Our scientific community carefully decided every detail of the vaccine, when to take which doses etc. Now the scientific community has arrived at some crucial decisions which I would like to share with you on the auspicious occasion of Christmas and also the birth anniversary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee," PM Modi said, as he announced the major vaccine-related decisions of the government.
Referring to Omicron, Modi said there is no need to panic as India is well-poised in the fight against the virus thanks to its healthcare infrastructure.
However, the pandemic is not over and there is a need to maintain Covid-appropriate behaviour like using masks and maintaining social distancing.
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