Bengaluru, Dec 29 (IANS): Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) authorities are taking up all required preparations for a mega drive to vaccinate about 5 lakh children in the 15-18 age group against Covid-19.

The drive is scheduled to begin from January 3.

The authorities have been asked to collect zonal wise data of children studying in private, as well as government schools and colleges in the city.

They have also been directed to be ready with required strength of staff to be deputed to schools and colleges to ensure vaccination of school and college children.

The BBMP is planning to cover the education-deprived children. NGOs are being asked to help in identifying such children in this age group at slums and industrial areas.

Along with this, the BBMP is also gearing up to administer booster doses to frontline workers and health staff from January 10.

Elderly people above the age of 60 years will also be administered booster dose.

BBMP Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta has directed the authorities to give more importance to contact tracing to contain the infection.

Healthcare workers have been entrusted with the work of visiting infection-prone areas and ensure preventive measures.

As many as 45,000 tests are being conducted in Bengaluru everyday and the authorities are mulling to increase the number.