With the vaccination drive going on in full swing in the country, actor-host Tara Sharma Saluja wonders when children will get their turn. Noting how the third wave of Coronavirus may pose a bigger risk to kids, Saluja — mother of two boys, Zen (11) and Kai (9) — says as a parent, she has every reason to be worried.

“What happened here during the second wave has been very unfortunate. But, as we are coming through, children need to be vaccinated now,” she insists, adding, “The whole short term economics is important, but in the long run, we must remember children are the foundation of the country, and the way forward. I feel very strongly about this. There are worries about the third wave and children getting affected more. So, their vaccination process needs to be looked at soon.”

Asserting that getting the jab is the solution, Saluja says it is the only way children can be safeguarded from the deadly Coronavirus virus.

“In Canada, they are starting to vaccinate children. We should have a parallel vaccination drive, where kids are given the jab. They can get back to some form of normalcy,” she adds.

Given India’s population, the 44-year-old understands that the vaccination drive for adults will take time. However, she is quick to add, “That needs to be sped up. Health comes first, and by that, I mean health for all. Now, we have the opportunity to maybe import a lot of vaccines and get our kids vaccinated, too. Parents were relieved that in the first and second wave, kids were not infected. We can’t just sit and wait now.”

It’s been over a year since schools have been shut, and that’s another reason why Saluja feels vaccination for children is vital, so that schools can be reopened.

“All of last year, very little was discussed about children and education. Everybody was okay to say the elderly should be prioritised. My sister lives in the UK, and there, her children only missed one and a half months of physical classes,” she shares.