Precautionary dose of COVID-19 vaccines will be given to healthcare workers, frontline workers including personnel deployed for election duty and persons aged more than 60 years with co-morbidities, from January 10.
New Delhi: Clearing the air over “precautionary doses” to be administered to the eligible population starting January 10, the Centre, clarified that the third dose of vaccine will be the same as has been given previously. The decision by the Centre for the administration of third dose or precautionary dose came amidst India reporting an exponential rise in COVID-19 cases mainly due to the Omicron variant.
Addressing a presser, on Wednesday, January 5, 2022, Dr. V. K. Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog said, “Precaution dose is given to healthcare, frontline workers and individuals 60 years and above with co-morbidities will be the same vaccine as has been given to them previously.” “Those who’ve received Covaxin will receive Covaxin, those who’ve received two doses of Covishield will receive Covishield,” Dr. Paul added.
The citizens eligible for “precautionary dose” of COVID-19 vaccine will not necessarily need to register on CoWIN platform and can instead simply walk-in to a vaccination centre to get inoculated with the dose.
Here are some key information about precautionary doses:
- 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
- Online appointment facility starts by today (January 8) evening
How can you register for a precautionary dose?
- All senior citizens aged 60 years or above with comorbidities will be able to get the precaution dose using their current Co-WIN account.
- Beneficiaries can register in advance, on-site, or through the Co-WIN Facilitated Cohort Registration procedure.
- Eligibility will be based on the date of administration of 2nd dose as recorded in the Co-WIN system.
- Verification will be done preferably using Aadhaar or a government id.
- When the precautionary dose is due, the Co-WIN system will send SMS to such recipients to remind them to take it.
- Registration and appointments are available in both online and onsite formats.
- All Vaccination will be recorded in real time through the Co-WIN Vaccinator Module on the same day.
9 months’ gap between 2nd and booster dose:
According to the Health Ministry, the administration of the third dose or precautionary dose would be given to beneficiaries after completion of 9 months i.e. 39 weeks from the date of administration of the second dose.
Who will get the precautionary dose:
According to the guidelines released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfares, Health Care Workers, Front Line Workers including personnel to be deployed on Election Duty and persons aged 60 years and above with co-morbid conditions will be eligible for the precautionary dose starting December 10.
Following the proper evaluation by the treating medical officer, elderly patients aged more than 60 years with co-morbid conditions, will be provided with a precaution dose.
Meanwhile, the country’s vaccination drive administered 1.5 billion (150 crore) doses of the vaccine on Friday, a feat that was hailed by PM Modi and Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya.
