ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to further lower the Covid vaccination age to 15 years in the country.

According to sources, the government has decided to launch vaccination of the children of up to 15 to 18 years age as efforts to inoculate general public being expedited in the wake of the fourth virus wave in the country.

The vaccination drive for the children between 15 to 18 years will begin from September 13 and they will be inoculated with the Pfizer vaccine, sources said.

The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has on Saturday announced that the youngsters between the ages of 15 and 18 will be administered the Pfizer vaccine.

In its meeting on Saturday, the forum maintained that students will receive the doses free of cost.

Mobile vaccination teams will be formed to visit schools and colleges across the country for the immunisation of students. The doses will be available at all major vaccination centres as well.

For people below the age of 18 years, the Child Registration Certificate (B- Form) number will be used for registration in NIMS (National Immunisation Management System).

Meanwhile, all teaching, non-teaching staff, and people involved in the transportation of students have been instructed to get fully inoculated by September 30.

On Friday, NCOC chief Asad Umar revealed that more than 20 million Pakistanis have been fully vaccinated against the deadly virus. In the last 24 hours, 3,480 new Covid cases were reported across the country, while 82 people succumbed to the deadly virus.

Earlier this month, the government commenced vaccination for people of and above the age of 17 years. It is compulsory for students to get fully vaccinated by October 15.

The federal government had earlier disclosed its plan to begin COVID vaccination for people aged below 18 in the country.

“In the first phase, vaccination will be approved for people in the age bracket of 15 and 18 while in the second phase, people aged between 12 and 15 will be inoculated,” sources said earlier adding that Nadra has also been consulted on how the process could be facilitated.

On Friday, NCOC chief Asad Umar had said as many as 50 million citizens have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine while more than 20 million had been fully vaccinated against the viral disease.—NNI