Quixplained: all you need to know about India’s vaccination program for children

India has started a vaccination drive for children aged between 15-18 years to protect them against the novel coronavirus.

The vaccination drive began close to a year after the country started inoculating its adult population.

The Health Ministry in a statement said that children are being vaccinated keeping in mind recent global surge of Covid-19 cases, detection of Omicron variant which has been categorised as a Variant of Concern (VOC), scientific evidence and global practices.

The Union Health Ministry has announced that indigenously developed Covaxin will be the only vaccine administered to children. It will be given in 2 doses 28 days apart.

The other vaccine which has been cleared for emergency use for children is Zydus Cadila's vaccine but as of now it will not be used to vaccinate children in India.

Also watch: Quixplained: how children between 15-18 years can register for Covid-19 vaccination

Children born in 2007 or earlier are eligible to receive the vaccine and they can register online through an existing account on Co-WIN, or after creating a new account.

The vaccine will be administered free of cost at government centres but beneficiaries will have to pay for it at private centres.