*29784 get 1st jab in Jammu, 22905 in Kashmir
Govind Sharma/Irfan Tramboo
JAMMU/SRINAGAR, Jan 3: A total of 52,689 children across Jammu and Kashmir were today administered 1st dose of Covaxin after Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha rolled out COVID-19 vaccination drive for teenagers in the age bracket of 15-18 years in Jammu and Additional Chief Secretary, Health & Medical Education Department Vivek Bhardwaj in Kashmir.
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The LG started the vaccination drive for the young children in the age group 15-18 years from Government Higher Secondary School (Boys), Gandhi Nagar (Jammu) in the presence of Chander Mohan Gupta, Mayor JMC, Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar, Advisor to the LG, Dr Arun Kumar Mehta, Chief Secretary, Dr Raghav Langer, Divisional Commissioner Jammu and Anshul Garg, Deputy Commissioner Jammu.
In Kashmir, the drive was kick-started by Additional Chief Secretary Health and Medical Education Department Vivek Bhardwaj from Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Kothibagh Srinagar. Director Health Services Kashmir Dr Mushtaq Ahmad Rather, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Muhammad Aijaz Assad, Director School Education Kashmir Tasaduq Hussain, CMO Srinagar, DHO Srinagar and other concerned officials of Health and Education Department were present on the occasion.
Similarly, in each and every district of the UT, concerned Deputy Commissioners and Chief Medical Officers rolled out the drive. The J&K Government has set a target of inoculating 1st dose of Covaxin to 8.33 lakh children across the UT within 10 days. The drive, a part of the national campaign against the COVID pandemic, has generated hope among the students of class 9-11 as well as their teachers about resumption of their normal schooling which was badly hit by the disease since its outbreak in early 2020.
On the first day of inoculation drive, a total of 52,689 teenagers (between 15-18 years) across the Union Territory received first dose of Covaxin. While 29,784 children were vaccinated at 804 vaccination sites across Jammu Division, a total of 22,905 received 1st dose in Kashmir Division at 1172 vaccination sites. In Jammu Division, 8713 young children were inoculated in district Jammu across 145 vaccination sites, 4317 across 160 sites in Udhampur district, 3353 across 82 sites in Rajouri district, 2277 across 51 sites in Kathua district, 672 across 44 sites in Poonch, 2176 across 65 sites in Ramban, 4226 across 44 sites in Doda district, 655 across 65 vaccination sites in Kishtwar, 1379 across 95 sites in Reasi and 2016 children across 53 sites in Samba district.
Similarly, in Kashmir Division, 6537 beneficiaries under 15-18 age group received their first dose of Covaxin in district Anantnag across 179 vaccination sites, 1824 in Kulgam across 131 sites, 1365 in Shopian across 75 sites, 1806 in Pulwama across 93 sites, 730 in Srinagar across 150 sites, 1792 in Budgam across 120 sites, 3016 in Baramulla across 150 sites, 3350 in Kupwara across 100 sites, 1378 in Bandipora across 80 sites and 1107 beneficiaries in Ganderbal across 94 vaccination sites.
The teenagers, who had turned up to get the first shot of COVID-19 vaccine, were excited and expressed hope to get back to their schools soon. “I was waiting for the day to get my dose of the vaccine as the pandemic forced us to stay back at our homes most of the time over the past nearly two years. We want to get back to the school as soon as possible,” Harmanjot Singh, a student of Class 11 of a private school in Jammu, said.
Principal of Jodhamal School Jammu Deep Khare said the response to the special camp organized at the school for the vaccination of the students was encouraging. “There was no apprehension in the mind of the student or their parents. Everyone was waiting for this vaccination drive and not a single parent raised any concern,” he said. Khare said there are 550 students of 15-18 age group and some of the students who are outside the station due to ongoing winter vacation will be inoculated later.
“The Government has made the vaccination very easy and we believe it will be a game changer for resuming offline classes. After vaccination, the students can attend their classes without any fear and we are expecting to resume the offline classes for students of 9-11 classes shortly,” he said.
Fozia, a beneficiary at the Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Kothi Bagh said she was happy that she had finally received the first dose of the vaccination which would protect her from the COVID. “This should have been done earlier as it will facilitate the reopening of schools, but, finally I am happy,” she said.
Parents accompanying their children also expressed satisfaction over the drive and possible resumption of offline classes.
Amidst the surge in COVID cases and the new Omicron variant, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 25 last year, had announced the inclusion of the 15 to 18 age group in the nationwide COVID immunization programme from January 3.
Those falling under the 15-18 years age group can register online through an existing account on the CoWlN portal or can register by creating a new account by using a unique mobile number. The walk-in facility and on the spot registration at the vaccination centers is also being facilitated for such beneficiaries.
Meanwhile, the COVID-19 vaccination for children from 15 to 18 years age group was also kick-started in Kargil district of Ladakh during which 540 children received the first dose at various vaccination sites.
As per official figures, over 540 doses of vaccines were administered on the first day of vaccination at various parts of Kargil including Sankoo, Taisuru, Zanskar, Drass, Shargole and Chiktan. The Health Department has set up vaccination sites across the district to vaccinate the children between 15 to 18 years age group.
Chief Medical Officer Kargil has appealed the children between 15-18 years to get vaccinated at nearby session sites to help contain the spread of Covid-19 in the District.
“Vaccination is a critical tool to help stop the Covid pandemic. My humble request to the young friends to get vaccinated,” said Lt Governor Manoj Sinha after launching the vaccination drive.
“Don’t be complacent after getting vaccinated. It’s crucial to continue following COVID protocols & guidelines”, he added.
The Lt Governor asked the health officials to keep the vaccinated children under mandatory observation period.
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