Nima Wangdi 

Students of classes X and XII aged 12 to 17 will receive booster doses in their respective schools after their last exam papers today.

With this, the booster dose rollout for the age group starts nationwide.

About 26,800 students sat for their board exams in containment mode starting on February 28. They will be sent home after receiving the vaccines today.




Health ministry officials said the vaccination sites for other children of the age group will be announced after classes X and XII students are vaccinated.

According to an official, there are about 75,000 children in the age group.

The second dose of the vaccine for the age group was administered on different dates depending on how risky the places they lived in.

Health minister Dechen Wangmo, during the live question-answer session with the public on Facebook yesterday, said the booster doses for the cohort is on time.  

“Even if the vaccine can’t protect people against the virus, it reduces the severity and hospitalisation.”

She said they are also discussing with the companies and have also signed an agreement for the vaccines for children who are five and below. “The moment we get clarity, evidence and approval from WHO and other competent authorities, we will roll out the vaccine.”




Meanwhile, 3.7 percent of children aged five to 11 have been vaccinated on the second last day of the weeklong paediatric vaccination campaign yesterday, taking the total percentage of vaccination of children in the age group eligible for the vaccine to 96.10 percent.

Health officials said no adverse events following immunization (AEFI) or side effects were reported.

Answering queries from people if there could be further relation after the classes X and XII exams and vaccination of the children aged five to 11 years, Lyonpo Dechen Wangmo said she has no idea as it has to come from the Prime Minister’s office.