Tamil Nadu Health Minister Says State Set To Become First In India To Inoculate Children Above Two Years Against COVID

Tamil Nadu's Health Minister, Ma Subramanian, said that the state could be the first in the country to inoculate children after the Centre gives its approval for the same. This comes a day after the Subject Expert Committee (SEC) of the drug regulator recommended granting an emergency use authorisation to Bharat Biotech's Covaxin for children aged between 2-18

Fully Prepared To Go Ahead

Subramanian made this statement while addressing the media after inaugurating the neonatal ward in Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital that costs around ₹ 1.5 crores. Quoted by DT Next, he said that the state is fully prepared to vaccinate children who are above the age of 2 and is just waiting for the Centre's nod before they go ahead with it.

Further, he also talked about the various plans implemented to inoculate the entire state. "To reach out to the remaining population, vaccine on wheels scheme has been launched by deploying on vehicle in each of the five zones to vaccinate the people at their doorstep. Around 5.51 lakh people have been vaccinated in the district through the five mega vaccination camps," he said.

Adding to this, the health minister also stated that the Coimbatore district has administered the most number of vaccines in the state as 93 per cent of the people have gotten their first dose, while 37 per cent have taken their both their doses. Along with this, the testing levels has not seen a decline as well despite the low COVID-19 cases.

For the past few weeks, the state government has held mega vaccination drives, the fifth one concluding on October 10. The aim behind this was to not only boost the vaccination rate, but to inspire people as well to come out and get the much-needed jab.

Awaiting DCGI Approval

The news regarding children finally getting inoculated is, indeed, a good one. However, the Drugs Controller General of India still has to put its stamp of approval on Covaxin to be used. Once it is approved, it will become the first vaccine to be administered to children of the above-mentioned age group. Initially, the vaccine by Zydus Cadilla was given the nod, but it is not given to the Indian masses as of yet.

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