On the first day of COVID-19 vaccination for children aged between 15 and 18 years, 24,240 teens in Telangana took the jab on Monday. The target population in this age group is 18.41 lakh.
Interestingly, the maximum number of beneficiaries were not from urban districts. The highest of 2,408 teens took the vaccine in Nizamabad, followed by 2,294 in Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri. Next on the list were the three urban districts of Medchal-Malkajgiri (1,902), Hyderabad (1,895) and Rangareddy (1,825). Currently, only Covaxin is being administered to the 15 to 18-year-olds.
Health Minister T Harish Rao, who participated at the launch of the drive at Primary Health Centre, Banjara Hills, said that Covaxin was the vaccine of choice as the gap between two doses is four weeks. For Covishield, the gap is three months.
Beneficiaries have to register on CoWIN portal for the jab in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits, and 12 municipal corporations. In other parts of the State, one can simply walk in and get vaccinated.
Mr Harish Rao said the online registration system is being followed as density of the beneficiaries is high in municipal corporations and online registrations will ensure less crowding at the vaccination centres.
He added that the condition of online registration would be relaxed if there is not much rush at the vaccination centres coming under municipal corporations. A decision in this regard would be taken after assessing the situation by the weekend.
Parents and college administrations were urged to ensure the teenagers take the jab and wear masks.
Until Sunday, the number of beneficiaries in the 15-18 age group was estimated to be around 22.78 lakh. According to fresh estimates, it is around 18.41 lakh.
