Nagpur: Following panic among several parents and schools regarding the feasibility of beneficiaries, immunization officials have clarified that all those born on or before December 31, 2007, qualified for vaccination programs below 18.
On Monday, the first day of 15-18 years Drive Vaccination, Elders are worried when the system accepts details of the 14-year-old school child according to their records.
In general, settlement of a certain age, say 15 years, taken only on or after a birthday in a certain year.
Technically, all those born on January 6, 2007, will change to 15 on Thursday.
Going with this, many children who take their Jab are still 14 according to school.
Officials said the system enrolled all recipients under the current drive from 14 years and 1 day.
Officials have now asked for school to prepare a list of all such students who will celebrate their 15th birthday this year.
“It doesn’t matter where the standard of a child is registered.
The child might be in VII, VIII or IX.
We are only looking for children who have 2007 as years of birth,” they said.
Dr.
Vasant Khalatkar, the main researcher for covaxin clinical trials (2 to 18 years), see no reason to worry if 14+ children get Jab.
“If the system accepts the children of this age group, we must take advantage.
There are no side effects for Covaxin.
It’s quite safe.
Clinical trials are carried out for 2 to 18 years.
Every child above 12 can take Jab if the system allows it,” He said.
He added that this would only lead to more protected children.
Responding to Ti Query regarding the 14 + age receiver, Dr.
Archana Patil, Health Director (immunization) said it was not allowed.
He did not describe the guidelines or if the local body was empowered to frame their own guidelines.
Civil officials said the current system rejected the recipient if the year of birth 2008 was hit.
The Uni Ministry of Health Guidelines also suggested that all 15 people run qualified for covid vaccination.
“Everyone whose year of birth is 2007 or before eligible,” read the guidelines.