Away from school for 28 months, vaccine drive infuses hope among Kashmir Valley students

J&K administration pledges to administer one lakh doses a day

For the first time in 28 months, a ray of hope was generated among the students’ community in Kashmir on Monday as the first-ever coronavirus vaccination drive among the age group of 15-18 began and the J&K administration pledging to administer one lakh doses a day.

Class 11 student Lubna Rather braved the freezing temperature to queue up early in the morning at the Kothi Bagh Girls Higher Secondary School, one of the 50 government schools identified as vaccination centres in Srinagar.

“I am yearning to resume normal schooling. It has been over two years I have never been able to see the classroom and sit together with friends. I miss my school and hope to rejoin full time now, once the winter vacations are over,” Ms. Rather said.