Nima Wangdi

The first booster dose for children between the ages of five to 11 will be administered from September 19 until October 20.

It is a nationwide campaign.

This is being done in the view of constant evolution of Covid-19 variants and diminishing immunity from earlier doses.

The first dose for this age group was given in April this year with vaccine coverage of 95 percent.

A circular from the Ministry of Health stated that the National Immunization Technical Advisory Group recommended the booster dose and Drug Regulatory Authority granted the emergency use authorisation.

School-going children, nuns and monks will be vaccinated in their respective nunnery, Shedra, Dratshang and school according to the notice. “However, there should be a minimum of eight clients in every vaccination post to prevent vaccine wastage.”

Those who are not enrolled in schools or religious institutions must be vaccinated at their respective health centres.

Children about to attain five years of age are also asked to take the first dose and would be eligible for their second dose after 8 weeks.

“All children receiving their first dose should be observed for 30 minutes for any AEFI cases and all vaccination posts should have AEFI kits,” the ministry said.

The second dose was administered through a week-long vaccination campaign in April this year. Some 83,277 children were vaccinated.