The Bengal government has directed the administration of districts to gear up for Covid vaccination drives aimed at minors from age 15 and above, in addition to booster dose drives for healthcare and frontline workers, and others aged 60 and above, without hampering the ongoing drives aimed at completing both doses for all adults.

Based on a guideline issued by the Centre, the Bengal government has fixed vaccination for adolescents starting January 3 and booster doses starting January 10.

Health officials said preliminary estimates suggest around a crore minors above age 15 would have to be vaccinated in Bengal.

Senior health officials said stress was on “good preparation” by means of increasing healthcare staff in vaccination centres in view of the additional pressure that any new target group will bring.

“As soon as the vaccination for adolescents starts in Bengal, there will be an additional pressure on vaccination centres. Within a week, booster doses will start. We have asked all the districts to take appropriate measures so the ongoing vaccination drives are not affected,” said a senior state health department official on Sunday.

The senior health official added that the Union health ministry would hold a video conference with nodal officers on vaccination in the states on December 28.

According report of the health department, there are around 5 lakh health workers and around 1.10 crore persons above 60 years of age.

“As the vaccine for adolescents is most awaited, there will be a rush at the centres over the first few days. So, we have alerted all districts to take care of vaccinations, mainly for those whose second doses are overdue,” said a senior health official.

Bengal has around 19 lakh people whose second dose is overdue at the moment. Bengal has so far vaccinated 6.44 crore people with the first dose and 3.78 crore with the second.

A senior health official said that the government has estimated reserves of around 1.5 crore of vaccine doses, including Covaxin and Covieshield.

The Centre is yet to give a guideline to the state about details such as dates. “Primarily, we have been told that we can administer the booster dose after six weeks of the second dose. However, we are waiting for the final guideline from the Centre. Children will get Covaxin as first doses,” said a senior health department official.

Asim Das Malakar, the state family welfare officer, said on Sunday: “We (in Bengal) are completely ready to start the vaccination from January 3 for adolescents and for people aged 60 and above from January 10. We are just waiting for the final guideline from the Centre.”

The state government has also asked all districts to increase the number of Covid tests as the omicron variant has become a threat.

The districts have also asked to keep isolation wards ready and to increase the number of beds in Covid hospitals in case the number of infections shows a spurt.