VACCINATION PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN AGED 15-18 YRS. TO BEGIN FROM JANUARY 3RD AT APOLLO HOSPITALS

VACCINATION PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN AGED 15-18 YRS. TO BEGIN FROM JANUARY 3RD AT APOLLO HOSPITALS ACROSS THE COUNTRY

National, January 2, 2022: Apollo Hospitals will begin the vaccination program for children in the age group of 15 to 18 years across Apollo Hospitals Vaccination Centres in the country tomorrow. This is in line with the Hon’ble Prime Minister's announcement of expansion of the COVID vaccination program to include children above the age of 15 years from January 3, 2022.

The vaccine administered would be Covaxin, which has received emergency use approval for use in children by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI). Covaxin would be administered in two doses at a gap of 28 days.

Apollo Hospitals is India's largest private vaccination provider and has been at the frontlines in supporting the Government’s COVID vaccination program since it began in January 2021. Apollo Hospitals has all the infrastructure and necessary arrangements in place to vaccinate citizens of the new eligible age-group.

Registration of children in the eligible age group and categories and/or booking of vaccination time-slots in the Apollo 24/7 app has now begun.

Apollo Hospitals' specially trained staff will be deployed to take care of the vaccination for children above 15 years of age. All recommended Government protocols will be followed including identity checks before administration of the vaccine shots, validation of data in Co-WIN app, observation for 30 minutes post vaccination, and AEFI (adverse effects following immunization) management if any. Proper maintenance of the cold chain for vaccine storage, and biomedical waste management will be ensured. The vaccination process will follow infection control practices including screening of all beneficiaries for fever, physical distancing, hand hygiene, universal masking, and safe injection practices.