Hyderabad: Apollo Hospitals says free Covid vaccination for children with co-morbidities

Hyderabad: Apollo Hospitals has announced free vaccinations against Covid for children with specified co-morbidities. It is anticipated that approval will soon be granted for vaccinating children with specified co-morbidities and immediately post-approval and details of the age-group permitted for vaccination, the free vaccination initiative would be launched.

The list is expected to include children with haematological, neurological, cardiac, liver, gastrointestinal, rheumatic, cancer, respiratory, genitourinary, and developmental disorders. However, this is an indicative list and the final list of co-morbidities eligible for free vaccination would be as per the list published by the government. Dr C Prathap Reddy, chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group said, "The government's approval of vaccinations for children with co-morbidities, when it comes through, will be a welcome step in the right direction.

Realising the criticality of this vaccination, we will be extending the Covid vaccines free to children with co-morbidities and giving them the necessary 'kavach' (shield) against Covid."

There are two vaccines that have been given or are awaiting EUA by the government. They are: Covaxin: For ages 2-18 years. Two doses at a gap of 28 days. Administered intra-muscularly, ZyCov-D: For ages 12-18 years. Three doses at a gap of 28 days. Needle free vaccine administered intra-dermally.