Children between 15 to 18 can register for COVID-19 vaccines on the CoWIN app from January 1 using their school ID cards, the government said Monday morning.
CoWIN chief Dr. RS Sharma told news agency ANI an additional slot had been created on the online platform so students could use their ID cards to register for the shots. This is because some may not have Aadhaar or other required ID cards, he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday had announced that vaccinations for 15 to 18-year-olds will begin on January 3, 2022. He also said that healthcare and frontline workers will be provided with “precautionary doses” and people above 60 years of age who have co-morbidities can opt for a booster dose, on a doctor’s recommendation, from January 10, 2022.
This will reduce the worries of children going to schools and colleges and their parents, and boost the fight against the pandemic, PM Modi said, adding that the move is also likely to aid in the normalization of teaching in schools.