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Children aged 15-18 at a vaccine centre in Pune, on Monday. (Express Photo by Arul Horizon) Vaccination for the 15-18 age group kicked off on Monday as the country continued to fight against surging Covid-19 cases, courtesy the Omicron variant of the virus. According to the Centre, there are around 10 crore children in this age bracket.
The move comes at a time when the country has recorded over 1 lakh active Covid-19 cases. The Union Health Ministry had earlier announced that the children will receive Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin with a 28-days gap between the first and the second dose.
The Indian Express take a look at what the kids had to say following their jabs:
Sixteen-year-old Shresta Karki, while waiting for her first dose in Delhi, said, “I feel excited that I’m here on the first day. I hope I can go outside more freely now.”
Shreshta Karki. “I am very happy that they have finally started a vaccination drive for kids. Omicron is largely affecting children and a vaccine is very important to stop the spread. I don’t know how many students from my class will be taking the first shot but I have put a message in my group urging them to get their jabs at the earliest,” Akshit Marodia, a Class 10 student of APS School, Dhaula Kuan, New Delhi, said.
Akshit Marodia. Saumya Bansal, a Class 6 student and a resident of Safdarjung Enclave in Delhi, said, “It was neither scary, nor painful. I have clicked a picture and sent it to my friends, asking them to go get vaccinated. My teachers have also asked all children to send vaccination certificates.”
Saumya Bansal at a vaccination centre in Laxmibai Nagar in New Delhi, on Monday. “I want to feel safe from Omicron. Apart from that, I also wanted to get it early to show people in my galli (neighbourhood) that it’s safe and nothing bad will happen. There are still quite a few people who think they don’t need vaccines and maybe I can help convince them,” said Harsh, a 16-year old beneficiary in Delhi.
Harsh waiting at a vaccination centre in Delhi, on Monday. Shravani Shinde, 16, after getting her shot at SP College in Pune, said, “I was tensed before coming to the vaccination centre. However, I could not even realise when they gave me the shot as those administering it were constantly conversing with me.”
Shravani Shinde at a PCMC hospital in Kasarwadi. 17-year-old Tamanna Dhingra, of DAV school in Gurgaon, said, “I had been waiting to get vaccinated for a long time. I am glad that I got the chance on the first day itself. The entire process was very smooth.”
Tamanna Dhingra with her mother getting her first shot, on Monday. 
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