West Bengal to prioritise COVID-19 jabs for women with children who are 12 years or younger

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], June 23 (ANI): West Bengal government will administer COVID-19 vaccines on priority to women whose children are aged between one and 12 years-old, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Wednesday.

"Mothers of children of age group 1 year to 12 years to be vaccinated on priority," said Banerjee while addressing media here.

The Chief Minister informed that the COVID-19 positivity rate in the state has been reduced to 3.61 per cent.

"During the seventh and eighth phase of assembly election, COVID cases increased. We had requested to club both the phases, despite requests they didn't listen. Now the positivity rate has been reduced to 3.61 per cent," Banerjee said.

The chief minister also raised concerns over Hyderabad-based pharma major Bharat Biotech's COVID-19 vaccine not getting approval from World Health Organisation (WHO). "Many people have been vaccinated with COVAXIN which is yet to be authorised, so foreign countries are not accepting it. Thus students who want to go abroad are very worried."

She also asked the West Bengal Chief Secretary HK Dwivedi, to write to Central Health Secretary seeking a remedy to the issue. (ANI)