Vaccination of below 15 year age group yet to be started
Srinagar: Most of the population above 18 years of age in Jammu and Kashmir are fully vaccinated while people are eagerly waiting for the vaccination of people below 15 years age group.
Officials told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the percentage of population above 18 years of age in J-K is around 66 percent and this age group has already been given both doses of vaccine.
They said that the first dose of the vaccine is being administered to the 15-17 age group while the Indian government has yet to take any decision about the vaccination of the below 15 year age group which is around 30 percent of the population.
The Union Health Ministry recently has said that they will decide about COVID-19 vaccination for children less than 15 years of age only after scientific evidence.
The Ministry further added that “COVID-19 vaccination for 12 years old is our next goal. These decisions will only be taken after scientific information and scientific decisions. We are working on it also.”
The vaccination drive in J-K started on 16 January 2021 and health workers and front line workers were vaccinated first.
Later, people above 60 and people above 45 having underlying problems were vaccinated and then the whole population above 45 years of age was vaccinated.
Then the vaccination drive for all above 18 years of age was started and later vaccination of the 15-17 age group was started which is going on.
Furthermore, the government has started to give booster doses to healthcare and frontline workers, and those over 60 years of age with co-morbidities.
Notably, experts believe that the death rate in the third wave is considerably low as compared to the second wave only because of vaccination as it prevents from getting the severe disease—(KNO)
