Continuing the declining trend in Covid-19 cases, India on Tuesday reported 2,568 fresh Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, according to the updated Health Ministry data. The total Covid-19 cases in the country reached 43 million, according to Health Ministry data. Additionally, Covid-19 deaths reported in the country continued to be below 100, logging 97 deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the total death toll to 515,974, the Health Ministry data further revealed.
In another related development, the Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan will be addressing a Virtual Conference with States and Union Territories today as Covid-19 vaccination of children aged 12-14 years are set to begin from March 16. As per the sources, the meeting would be on the vaccination of children aged 12-14 years and precaution dose for all citizens above 60 years of age.
Dr Sameer Bhati, Public Health Expert, Member Vaccination Awareness Committee, said, that India must celebrate this expansion of Covid-19 vaccination coverage making the kids of 12 to 14 years eligible for joining the safety shield against the pandemic.
"Corbevax has indeed joined the Covid vaccination campaign at the right time and shall surely become a relief for school-going children. We must involve the school authorities to expedite the vaccine coverage and reach out to every eligible child strengthening their circle of protection," he said.
"Moreover, it was extremely essential to protect our senior citizens amid the recent surge seen in China. Making all the above 60 population eligible for precautionary dose unconditionally will definitely maximize the protection against pandemic and increase the pace of our vaccination drive," Bhati added.
Further, Dr Naveen Parkash Gupta, a senior consultant of Neonatology at Madhukar Rainbow Children's Hospital said, "I don't have the data for those phase three trials, but as the government has approved, then the good efficacy has been found in those trials."
On the cost of the vaccine, he said, "it will be cost-effective there will be two doses which will be given intramuscularly."
