Children turning 15 in Jan 2023 eligible for Covid-19 vaccine under 15-18 age category: Govt

New Delhi: The Centre has on Thursday informed states and UTs can now administer Covid-19 vaccine dose to children attaining age of 15 years as on January 2023 under the 15-18 age group.  

The letter by Additional Secretary, Mission Director of National Health Mission Vikas Sheel read, "... all those whose year of birth in 2007 and before, shall be eligible. This translates into - those whose attaining the age of 15 years as on 01.01.2023 (January 1, 2023) are eligible."

Read More :-  Omicron sub-variant BA.2 now more prevalent in India: Health Ministry

Giving details to states and UTs on who all are now eligible to get the vaccine dose under the 15-18 category, Vikas Sheel said, "All those beneficiaries born in the year 2005, 2006 and 2007 i.e. those who have already attained or would be attaining the age of 15 years as on 01.01.2023." 

This simply means that the government has now given its nod to vaccinate children who will be attaining 15-year-of age next year. So if your child is 14 years old and is running 15, he/she is now eligible to get the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine.

As per the age criteria, those who have already attained or would be attaining the age of 15 years as on January 1, 2023 are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. Apart from that those beneficiaries born in 2004 or earlier, that it, have attained or be attaining the age of 18 as on January 1, 2023 and those born in 1962 or earlier are eligible to be administered the COVID-19 vaccine.

The government has started the drive to vaccinate children between 15 and 18 years on January 3, 2022. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 4,37,27,771 (4 crore 37 lakh 27 thousand 7 hundred and 71) children in the age group have been vaccinated since.

Read More :- Latest India News