Delhi govt to start immunisation drive

This is the first time this vaccination programme will be conducted in Delhi’s schools. The vaccine is to be administered to all children from the age of nine months and below 15 years — regardless of previous vaccination status or history with these illnesses — over a period of three-four weeks. As per a circular from the Directorate of Education (DoE), the vaccine is to be administered at all Delhi schools, including unrecognised ones.

As per the circular, orientation for officers, principals, teachers and students will be conducted by experts from the health department prior to the campaign.

The campaign to administer the vaccine in various parts of the country faced protests by parents. Earlier this year, six children died after being administered the vaccine in Gujarat. State health officials had denied any link between the deaths and the vaccine.

In Gurgaon, the Haryana government’s bid to carry out a similar campaign met with difficulties in April, when parents of students in private schools refused to give consent. “The process is still at a preliminary orientation phase. We will discuss these challenges further down the road,” said a DoE official.