The Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine has directed all deputy directors of health services (DDHS) to open sessions for administration of precaution doses to eligible beneficiaries, and to have a separate counter and queue for vaccinating children aged 15 to 18 years at all existing Government COVID-19 Vaccination Centres (GCVCs).

The Directorate said that till January 10, 70% of children aged 15 to 18 years (23,34,845) had been vaccinated in the State. As many as 20,765 beneficiaries --10,091 healthcare workers, 5,482 frontline workers and 5,192 persons aged above 60 years with co-morbid conditions -- had been vaccinated with the precaution dose.

In a letter, T.S. Selvavinagayam, Director of Public Health, told all DDHS to open sessions at all the existing GCVCs for the administration of the precaution dose to eligible beneficiaries -- persons who have completed 39 weeks from the date of the second dose. Separate counters and queues should be ensured for administration of Covaxin for children aged 15 to 18 years.

The DDHS should instruct site managers of existing Private COVID-19 Vaccination Centres (PCVC) to open sessions for administration of the precaution dose and exclusive Covaxin sessions for 15-18 years beneficiaries, apart from regular sessions for the above 18 years population. They should approve new PCVCs as per guidelines on request from private institutions to act as PCVCs.

They should coordinate with the joint directors of health services, deans and other health officials to ensure that their eligible staff received the precaution dose on completion of 39 weeks from the date of administration of the second dose. All DDHS were instructed to complete the vaccination for the 15-18 years age group and precaution doses as early as possible.