COVID-19: PM Narendra Modi announces jabs for 15-18 years age group, precautionary dose for frontline workers

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (December 25) announced that the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination for children aged 15-18 years will start from January 3. From the threat of the Omicron variant to the vaccination process, the Prime Minister touched upon a range of issues. 

Amid speculations over another wave of COVID-19 which is fuelled by the emergence of a new variant Omicron, PM Modi urged the citizens to not panic. He also asked everyone to follow Covid measures, such as wearing face masks and washing hands occasionally, etc. 

During his address to the nation, PM Modi also said that from the point of view of precaution, the Indian government has decided that the 'precaution dose' of vaccine will also be started for the healthcare and frontline workers. PM Modi further informed that the process will start on January 10, 2022. 

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Talking about the vaccination programme in India, PM Modi said that India started giving the vaccine to its citizens on January 16 this year. 

He added that it is the collective effort and collective will of all the citizens of the country that India has crossed the unprecedented and very difficult target of 141 crore vaccine doses. 

The Prime Minister informed that today, more than 61 per cent of India's adult population has received both doses of the vaccine. And about 90 per cent of the adult population has received a single dose of the vaccine. 

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PM Modi said that the fight against the Covid pandemic shows that following all the guidelines at the individual level is a great weapon apart from taking the vaccines.  

PM Modi also said that citizens above 60 years of age with co-morbidities will also have the option of a precautionary dose of the vaccine on the advice of their doctor, which will also be available from January 10. 

Watch PM Modi's address:

As per the Union Health Ministry, India has reported 7,189 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours.

Meanwhile, the nationwide case tally of the Omicron variant of coronavirus has reached 415.

Amid the Omicron scare and surge in cases in various parts of the country, the Union Health Ministry on Saturday said that multi-disciplinary Central teams would be deployed in ten identified states.

"A decision has been taken to deploy multi-disciplinary Central teams to 10 identified States some of which are either reporting an increasing number of Omicron and COVID-19 cases or slow vaccination pace," says Union Health Ministry in an official statement. 

(With inputs from agencies)