New Delhi, India

India will start administering coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations for children aged 12 to 14 years from March 16, the government decided after deliberations with scientific bodies on Monday. 

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The announcement by the health ministry is vital as schools reopen across the country with standard restrictions amid a significant fall in Covid cases. 

In a statement, the health ministry said, "Union Government after due deliberations with scientific bodies has decided to start COVID19 vaccination for 12-13 yr and 13-14 yr age groups (those born in 2008, 2009 and 2010. i.e those who are already above 12 years of age) of the population from 16th March 2022." 

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The ministry also added that it has been decided to remove the condition of co-morbidity for people above 60 years to receive a booster shot. 

India's Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya took to his official Twitter account and announced it in Hindi. His comments can be loosely translated in English as: "If the children are safe then the country is safe! I am happy to inform you that the COVID-19 vaccination of children in the age group of 12 to 13 and 13 to 14 is starting from March 16. Also, everyone aged 60+ will now be able to get precaution doses." 

So far, India has been vaccinating children aged 15 and above and according to government figures, more than 90 million children aged between 15 and 17 have been inoculated. 

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India's third wave of COVID-19 cases driven by the Omicron variant has receded, with the country reporting 2,503 infections on Monday (March 14) compared to more than 300,000 in late January. 

As per the health ministry, children in the age group of 12 to 14 years would be inoculated using vaccine maker Biological E. Ltd's Corbevax, which received an emergency use approval in February for 12- to 18-year-olds. 

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