The Union Health Ministry in a letter to the states, said that the precautionary dose given for healthcare workers, frontline workers and senior citizens will be of the same vaccine as the other two doses.
On Thursday, a letter written by Rajesh Bhushan, Health Secretary read as follows- "The administration of precaution dose for healthcare workers, frontline workers including personnel deployed for election duty and persons aged more than 60 years with co-morbidities will be starting from January 10, 2022, under the National Covid-19 Vaccination Programme. In this regard, the following may be noted, the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) has recommended the administration of the homologous vaccine for HCWs, FLWs and elders (more than 60 years of age) with co-morbidities i.e. the same vaccine that has been administered for the previous two doses would be given as the precaution dose to the eligible beneficiaries," according to a Zeenews report.
The letter also states that privately run hospitals can provide their staff with the precautionary dose, from January 10 onwards, either for free or of cost.
Here is some information on the precautionary dose:
- There is no need for new registration for those eligible for the precautionary or the third dose of Covid vaccine
- Those who have taken both Covid jabs and are eligible can take appointments or walk-in to any Covid-19 Vaccination Centre to get the third dose
- Vaccination with onsite appointment starts on January 10
- The Health Ministry will release the schedules for vaccination on January 8
- Online appointment facility will start by January 8
India has to date administered over 148 crore vaccine doses. 91 per cent of all adults have received at least one dose while 66 per cent have been fully vaccinated.
The vaccination programme for children between the ages of 15 and 18, started earlier this month and more than 17 per cent have been administered the first dose.
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