Covid vax for kids between 15-18 years from Jan 3: PM

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India well-prepared: 18 lakh isolation beds, 5 L oxygen supported-beds, 1.40 L ICU beds

-Over 90 pc of eligible adult population given1st dose; over 61 pc both doses

-Nasal vaccine, world’s first DNA vaccine against Covid, to soon start in India

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Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 25

Amid Omicron concerns, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday announced a vaccination drive for those between 15 and 18 years of age from January 3 and “precautionary doses” for healthcare and frontline workers as well as the elderly with comorbidities from January 10.

Addressing the nation, he stressed that this was the time to remain alert as several countries were experiencing a rise in Covid-19 infections due to the new variant (Omicron). The PM called on the people not to panic and take precautionary measures such as wearing masks and washing hands frequently. “The country is fully prepared to deal with the infections,” the PM assured the nation.

India, he said, had 18 lakh isolation beds, five lakh oxygen supported-beds and 1.40 lakh ICU beds. “If all ICU and non-ICU beds are added, there are 90,000 especially for children. Over 3,000 oxygen plants have been set up and four lakh oxygen cylinders distributed across the country.”

He said besides precaution, vaccination was a must to fight the virus. “Our country, understanding the seriousness, had very early on started work on vaccines. Because of these preparations, 61 per cent of India’s adult population has got both doses and about 90 per cent one vaccine dose.”

Indian scientists, the PM assured, were keeping a close watch on Omicron’s mutation and were ready to rise to the challenge. The administration of nasal vaccine and world’s first DNA vaccine against Covid would start soon in India, he added.