VELLORE / TIRUPATHUR / RANIPET: Children between the ages of 12 and 14 years were inoculated with the Covid-19 vaccine in Vellore, Ranipet, and Tirupathur districts on Wednesday. While 45,700 children were targeted in Vellore, Tirupathur district targeted 52,662. Ranipet targeted 53,534 children, including 30,909 in government schools.
"The children will be vaccinated with Corbevax vaccination and we have 46,000 doses available with us. There is no reason to worry about vaccines," Vellore Deputy Director of Health Services Dr Banumathi told TNIE.
Tirupathur Collector Amar Khushhwaha inaugurated the vaccination drive at Meenakshi Government Women's Higher Secondary School in the district. Speaking at the event, he said the vaccines were provided for children in this age group for protection. Urging parents to bring their children to the drive, he said, during the Covid-19 peak, Tirupathur had witnessed five deaths on an average. But, four of them were unvaccinated. Even the others (vaccinated) had co-morbidities and other complications, he said. The Collector also pointed out the surge in cases in China and underlined the need for vaccination even if recorded cases were low.
The Collector further said a special camp is being organised in the district for the administration of the second dose of Covaxin in children between 15 to 17 years.
The vaccination exercise for senior citizens without co-morbidities also started on Wednesday in combined Vellore districts as part of the national program.
According to officials, 6,250 people have taken the booster dose in Tirupathur. Meanwhile, the booster dose administration is sluggish among the vulnerable groups. Around 7,375 frontline workers and healthcare workers were yet to take the third dose here.