India rolls out 'precaution' vaccine doses of COVID-19 from January 10
Even as the highly transmissible Omicron variant pushes the country’s Covid figures higher, the booster shots will be administered to healthcare, frontline workers and those above 60 years.
FollowNew Delhi: Amid a spike in the daily number of Covid-19 cases, India has started administering the precaution dose or the booster dose of Covid-19 vaccine from January 10 to healthcare, frontline workers and those above 60 years.
While appointment registration for the precaution doses began on Saturday, health officials said eligible people could also do a walk-in and get themselves registered.
All HCWs, FLWs and citizens aged 60 years or above with comorbidities will be able to access the vaccination for precaution dose through their existing Co-Win account. The precaution dose can only be taken after 9 months i.e., 39 weeks from the date of administration of 2nd dose.
Earlier, the Health Ministry had said that Co-Win system will send reminder SMS to those eligible for availing the precaution dose.
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, in a tweet on Sunday, said that reminder SMSes have already been sent to over one crore healthcare and frontline workers and senior citizens for their precaution dose.
Who is eligible?
Healthcare and frontline workers and people aged 60 and above with comorbidities. Personnel deployed for election duty in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa will also be eligible for the booster dose as they have been designated as frontline workers.
An estimated 1.05 crore healthcare and 1.9 crore frontline workers, and 2.75 crore comorbid people in the 60 plus age group would be administered the precaution dose according to schedule, Health Ministry sources said.
Meanwhile, the precautionary Covid-19 vaccine dose will be the same as previously administered doses. The government has stated that no vaccines will be mixed at this time. As a result, if you have already received two doses of Covishield, you will also receive Covishield for your precaution dose. The same is true for Covaxin.
