Chennai, Mar 17 (IANS): Tamil Nadu Public health department, in association with local bodies and school education department, will vaccinate 21.2 lakh children in the age group of 12-15 years.

State Health Minister Ma Subramanian, in a statement, on Thursday said that the school authorities and health department must ensure that the children get inoculated only after receiving consent letter from parents.

The minister said that with the Covid-19 fresh and active cases falling in the state, the vaccination for children can be conducted in schools itself. He said that the state was able to undertake 84.5 per cent coverage in children in the age group of 15-18 as the state health department was able to conduct mass vaccination drives in schools.

Ma Subramanian, while speaking to IANS, said: "The vaccines will be offered free of cost but will not be available at other government vaccination centres. We have more than 21.6 lakh doses of vaccine which is more than the target."

The minister also said that the state has around 14 lakh elderly citizens, above the age of 60 who are eligible for a precautionary dose of vaccine or booster dose. The government has announced a precautionary vaccine for those above 60 and without comorbidities.

Notably, till now people above the age of 60 with comorbidities were eligible for precautionary vaccine but now vaccination is open for all the elderly.