The government has launched a preventative vaccine for adults over the age of 60 who do not have any comorbidities.
representational image (iStock photo)
The Tamil Nadu Public Health Department will vaccinate 21.2 lakh youngsters aged 12 to 15 years in collaboration with local bodies and the school education department.
In a statement issued on Thursday, State Health Minister Ma Subramanian said that school officials and the health department must ensure that children are only immunised after receiving a consent letter from their parents.
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The minister said that with the Covid-19 fresh and active cases falling in the state, the vaccination for children can be conducted in schools itself. He said that the state was able to undertake 84.5 per cent coverage in children in the age group of 15-18 as the state health department was able to conduct mass vaccination drives in schools.
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Ma Subramanian, while speaking to IANS, said: “The vaccines will be offered free of cost but will not be available at other government vaccination centres. We have more than 21.6 lakh doses of vaccine which is more than the target.”
According to the minister, the state has roughly 14 lakh old people over the age of 60 who are eligible for a vaccination preventative dose or booster dose.
The government has launched a preventative vaccine for adults over the age of 60 who do not have any comorbidities.
Notably, until previously, only persons over the age of 60 with comorbidities were eligible for the preventive vaccine, but now everyone over the age of 60 can get it.
(with inputs from IANS)
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