TS administers COVID jabs to 24,240 teens on day one

Hyderabad: Covid-19 vaccination for the 15 to 18-year-olds began in Telangana on Monday with the health minister T Harish Rao assuring the youngsters that there was no cause for any fears or worries over taking the vaccine shots.

“We have all been vaccinated,” he said, referring to the others with him on the dais at the urban PHC in Banjara Hills where he formally launched the programme.

Rao appealed to all parents and college managements to ensure that everyone that age-group receives takes Covaxin, which is presently being given. This is because the gap between the first and second dose for this is just 28 days, unlike the three-month gap for Covishield, he said.

The state health department said that by evening of the first day of the drive, approximately 24,240 teenagers were vaccinated. The highest numbers were reported from Nizamabad district with 2,408, followed by 2,294 in Yadadri-Bhongir district. Medchal-Malkajgiri district saw 1,902 youngsters take the vaccine, followed by 1,895 in Hyderabad, and 1,715 in Mahaboobnagar districts.

Harish Rao said that any identity card, including those issued by colleges where the vaccine seekers study, will suffice for getting vaccinated. Anyone born before 2007 can get vaccinated, he added.

He said that according to latest estimates, Telangana had some 18,41,000 persons in the 15 to 18-year age group. The government has started 1,014 additional Covid vaccination centres across the state to only cater to this age group.