JOIN USMaharashtra teenagers queue up for Covaxin jabs on Day 1 of drive for 15-18 age group
As the state stands on the threshold of a 'third wave' of Covid-19, lakhs of school and junior college children in the 15-18 age group enthusiastically thronged vaccination centres to get their jabs in Mumbai, as well as the rest of Maharashtra, officials said on Monday.
As per the Centre's policy, the government launched the inoculation drive for the 15-18 age groups and over 8,00,000 have already registered for their dose in the past few days.
Since dawn, the children, many sporting their school uniforms, lugging school bags, clutching their ID cards and other necessary documents, made a beeline to the vaccination centres in cities, towns and villages.
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray exhorted children to get their vaccine doses, while at many centres, VIPs welcomed the kids. Health Minister Rajesh Tope greeted the youngsters in Jalna, while Tourism Minister Aditya Thackeray and Mayor Kishori Pednekar did likewise in Mumbai; many other ministers, parliamentarians and legislators also took to welcoming the adolescents in different areas.
A few big schools in the urban centres have decided to arrange the vaccination drive on their campuses to ensure all the children in the 15-18 age group are covered.
At several centres, excited and giggling young boys and girls arrived either with their families or neighbours or friends, eagerly awaiting the experience of a Covid-19 vaccine dose, and they urged their reluctant pals or classmates to join them.
"There is apprehension among us as the Covid-19 and Omicron cases have suddenly increased... We all have taken our parents and teachers' advice to register and take the precautionary jab when called," said Manthan Joshi, an SSC student of Gokhale High School in Borivali.
In Mumbai, the doses are being administered at the nine 'Jumbo' vaccination centres across the city and suburbs. They are the Richardson & Cruddas, Byculla and Mulund, Somaiya Grounds, Sion, NSCI Dome, Crompton & Greaves, Kanjurmarg, Worli, NESCO Centre Goregaon, Malad Centre, Malad, and Dahisar Centre, Dahisar.
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