Dharamsala: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 25th December 2021 announced that the inoculation of the COVID-19 vaccine for teenagers between ages 15-18 will begin on 3rd January 2022. Further, he stated that the booster dose for the frontline and health care workers will begin on 10th January 2022. He also notified that Citizens who are aged above 60 and have co-morbidities will now have the option of getting administered with the ‘precaution dose’ from 10th January 2022.

Prior to the announcement, the Department of Health, CTA led by Secretary Palden Dhondup, and the vaccination team held meetings in December 2021 with all the stakeholders notifying them of advanced preparation and necessary data collection for the anticipated vaccination drive for eligible population.

Since the announcement, the Tibetan Settlement Officers and Executive Secretaries of Health Centers have coordinated with the local authorities to arrange the vaccination drive. So far the teenagers of the eligible age group in Mundgod, Kollegal, Bylakuppe, Hunsur, Odisha, Dholanji, Ladakh, Tsopema,  Bhandhara, Mainpat, Miao, and Tenzingang Tibetan Settlements have successfully begun the drive.

Amid the rising cases of COVID-19, and the variant of concern OMICRON, the department encourages all the children and their parents to take part in the drive and be safe.