The vaccination of children in the age group of 12 to 14 against Covid-19 is likely to start in March, said Dr Arora, chairman of Covid-19 working group of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation, according to PTI.

“Once the 15-18 age group is covered, the government is likely to take a policy decision for initiating the vaccination drive for the 12-14 age group in March,” he said on Monday.

There are approximately 7.5 crore people in the 12-14 age group, Arora added.

India has been inoculating adults since January 16 last year. On December 25, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced vaccination for teenagers between 15 and 18 years of age. Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin was subsequently approved for teenagers and the vaccination drive was opened to them on January 3.

Arora said that over 3.45 crore persons between 15 and 18 years of age have received their first dose of the vaccine, according to Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.

“Adolescents in this age group have been actively participating in the inoculation process, and going by this pace of vaccination, the rest of the beneficiaries in the 15-18 age group are likely to be covered with the first dose by January-end and subsequently their second dose is expected to be done by February-end,” Arora said, according to PTI.