NEW DELHI: The decision to vaccinate those in the age group of 12-14 years will be taken based on scientific evidence and deliberations are on in this regard, the government said on Thursday.
Responding to a question at the weekly press conference, NITI Aayog Member (Health) Dr V K Paul said if someone is infected with COVID-19 then after 3 months they can take a second or precaution dose.
Also, Paul said vaccination has been rolled out based on scientific evidence and based on the assumption of protecting the most vulnerable people so as the scientific evidence evolves we would be expanding the coverage of the national Covid vaccination programme.
"Our objective is to vaccinate those above 12 years of age and this decision will be taken when scientific information is complete and through taking a holistic view of the vaccination programme. Deliberations are going on in the matter," he said.
Responding to a question on when can a person infected with COVID-19 take the precaution dose, Paul said if someone is infected then after 3 months they can take a second or precaution dose.
"NTAGI is continuously looking at that and if anything changes then a decision will be taken," Paul said.
The cumulative COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country crossed 160.32 crore on Thursday, according to the Union health ministry.
At a press conference, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said 94 per cent of India's adults have received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, while 72 per cent are fully vaccinated.
He said 52 per cent of adolescents in the 15-18 age group have received the first dose with Andhra Pradesh topping the list with 91 per cent, followed by Himachal Pradesh at 83 per cent and Madhya Pradesh at 71 per cent.
Bhushan said 12 states and union territories including Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have administered the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine to 100 per cent of the eligible adult population.
More than 60 lakh (60,79,373) vaccine doses had been administered till 7 pm on Thursday, the ministry said.
Over 68 lakh (68,34,113) 'precaution' doses have been administered to healthcare workers, frontline workers and those aged 60 and above with comorbidities, it said.
Also, 3,94,42,385 adolescents in the 15 to 18 age group have received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
The daily vaccination tally is expected to increase with the compilation of the final reports for the day by late night, the ministry said.
The countrywide COVID-19 vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 with healthcare workers getting inoculated in the first phase.
The vaccination of frontline workers started on February 2.
The next phase of vaccination commenced from March 1 for people aged above 60 and those aged 45 and above with specified co-morbid conditions.
The country launched vaccination for all people aged above 45 from April 1.
The government then decided to expand the vaccination drive by allowing everyone above the age of 18 to get vaccinated from May 1.
The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination for adolescents in the 15 to 18 age group commenced from January 3.
India began administering the 'precaution' dose of COVID-19 vaccine to healthcare workers, frontline workers, including personnel deployed for election duty, and those aged 60 and above with