Parents breathe a sigh of relief as Co-WIN registration opens for 15-18-year-old children

New Delhi [India], January 1 : With the Co-WIN portal opening its registration slot for COVID-19 vaccination for children aged between 15 to 18 years from today onward, the parents are breathing a sigh of relief.
Children whose birth year is 2007 or before are eligible to register themselves on Co-WIN. To book the vaccination slot the beneficiaries can either self-register or use an existing account on Co-WIN.
ANI spoke to some teenagers in this specific age group and their parents. All of them expressed satisfaction and welcomed the decision saying that it was necessary with the new variant Omicron infecting the population at a rapid rate.
Vikrant Bhagi, whose daughter studies in class 12 said, "It is the safety of my child which is most important and we have been waiting for children under 18 years to get vaccinated. They are studying at home and are facing a different kind of stress altogether. Moreover, we are afraid to send them outside fearing they might get infected. Hence, we are registering on the very first day on Co-WIN."
"We continued with the online education primarily as we do not know the impact of this new variant (Omicron) yet. At this time, keeping our daughter safe is our first priority. For us as parents, it is also a big relief as this forced isolation would also end," said Bhagi.
Stating that vaccination of everyone is necessary for a protective bubble, another parent, Vijaynt Kaur said, "We have been vaccinated but that itself is not enough as the antibodies die too. In this scenario, my daughter who is 17 years old and never had COVID is in a vulnerable position. Vaccination of this age group is crucial. In fact, I wish the government would shortly come with similar measures for children below 15 years of age."
Mahika Bhagi, 18, who registered on Co-WIN told ANI, "My parents, my grandmother got vaccinated pretty early and I do know that vaccines are here to protect us, they are safe and build antibodies in us. I am not going to school but I do go outside my house for many other things and here I know that till I'm not vaccinated, I am at risk."
"I have friends who got infected with COVID earlier. Many of my friends have also registered for the first slot. We all need to be safe," said Mahika.
Health experts have stated that this vaccination was much needed and should have come earlier and now those who are eligible should be vaccinated as much as possible.
While speaking to ANI Dr Sisir Paul, Senior Consultant, Paediatrician, Madhukar Rainbow Hospital said, "Vaccination is the best way to protect from the disease and stop the spread also. Hence, more and more people need to get vaccinated."
"I hope very soon the age bar will be lowered further and more and more children will get vaccinated. We have eradicated so many diseases just by vaccination. I am also sure that the vaccine will get modified along with time just to be more and more effective," Dr Paul said.
Taking to Twitter earlier today, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya urged the parents of children, who are eligible to take the vaccination, to get them registered on the CoWIN portal.