Guwahati: Health Minister Keshab Mahanta has stated that the Assam government has set an aim to vaccinate all the eligible citizens in the age group of 15–18-year age bracket with Covaxin within one week. This initiative will be undertaken with the help of educational authorities.
The health and education authorities will join hands and will set up special camps in schools and junior colleges across the state and vaccinate students. The one’s who are not in school and colleges, can get vaccine jabs at regular vaccination Centres.
“Vaccination of this new section of the population will start on January 3. We have taken it as a mission to finish first dose vaccination of all eligible 15–18-year-olds by January 9 before the start of third dose vaccination for citizens above 60, and frontline and healthcare workers from January 10,” Mahanta said.
“I request all parents and guardians to ensure that their children get the first dose by January 9 so that they are eligible to get their second dose in February before start of the final or board exams,” he added.
Director (Health Services) Munindra Nath Ngatey stated that nearly 2 million people fall in the age group of 15-18 age category.
Mahanta said till date the state administered 37.5 million doses (21.7 million first dose and 15.8 million second dose) of Covid-19 vaccine across the state.
Though Assam is yet to record any case of Omicron variant of Covid-19, the minister said that preparations are already underway to tackle the fast-spreading variant.
“To fight the possible onslaught of Omicron we have 9,000 extra beds, 1,000 ICU beds and 2,600 oxygen beds ready at the moment. If required, we can increase the total number of beds to 25,000 within one week,” said Mahanta.
For genome sequencing of the Omicron variant, the state will have two genome testing laboratories (one in Jorhat and another in Guwahati) within the next few days, he added.
Till date, Assam has recorded 620,563 Covid-19 cases with 612,282 recoveries and 6,164 deaths.
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