Apollo Hospitals announces free COVID vaccinations for children with Co-Morbidities

Spread the love

October 25, 2021, National: Apollo Hospitals, Asia’s foremost integrated healthcare services provider, today announced free vaccinations against COVID-19 for children with specified co-morbidities across the hospital network. 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 by Apollo Hospitals. 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 Prathap C Reddy, Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group said, “Adults have been the focus of vaccination till now as by and large, children have been spared from severe COVID infection. However, this is not the case in children with co-morbidities. These children continue to be at high risk of developing a severe infection. In addition, children with comorbidities have also seen a significant psychosocial impact as the lockdown resulted in their missing out on the personalized attention and specialized treatment and care that they require. 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 completely free of cost to children with co-morbidities and giving them the necessary ‘kavach’ (shield) against COVID!”

Apollo Hospital, which has been at the frontlines of battle against COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic and is today the largest private sector vaccinator in the country with over 5 million vaccine doses administered. The vaccination program

for children and adolescents will help to protect the future of the nation from COVID-19.

There are two vaccines that are have been given or are awaiting EUA by the Government and these are:

1.     Covaxin: For ages 2-18 years. Two doses at a gap of 28 days. Administered intra-muscularly

2.     ZyCov-D: For ages 12-18 years. Three doses at a gap of 28 days. Needle free vaccine administered intra-dermally.

Both vaccines would be available at Apollo Hospitals’ vaccination centers across the country once all Government approvals are in place and the vaccines are made available.

For further details, please do ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­contact Dr Rohini Sridhar, Senior Vice President – Medical Services, Apollo Hospitals @ [email protected] 

About Apollo Hospitals:

It was in 1983, that Dr. Prathap C Reddy made a pioneering endeavour by launching India’s first corporate hospital – Apollo Hospitals in Chennai. Now, as Asia’s foremost trusted integrated healthcare group, its presence includes over 12,000 beds across 72 Hospitals and 4100 pharmacies, over 120 Primary Care clinics and 650 Diagnostic centres, 700 plus Teleclinics, over 15 medical education centres and a Research Foundation with a focus on global Clinical Trials. The most recent investment being the commissioning of South East Asia’s very first Proton Therapy Centre in Chennai.

Every four days, the Apollo Hospitals Group touches a million lives, in its mission to bring healthcare of international standards within the reach of every individual. In a rare honour, the Government of India had issued a commemorative stamp in recognition of Apollo’s contribution, the first for a healthcare organization. Apollo Hospitals Chairman, Dr. Prathap C Reddy, was conferred with the prestigious Padma Vibhushan in 2010.  For 37 years, the Apollo Hospitals Group has continuously excelled and maintained leadership in medical innovation, world-class clinical services and cutting-edge technology. Its hospitals are consistently ranked amongst the best hospitals in the country for advanced medical services.

Author