Appointments for third Covid-19 vaccine shot to open today

Union health ministry said that the eligible population, healthcare workers, frontline workers, those above 60 years with comorbidities, who have taken two doses, can directly book an appointment, or walk in to any of the vaccination centres

    08-Jan-2022
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Appointments for the ‘precautionary dose’ of Covid-19 vaccine in India will begin from today, according to central government. The Centre has also said that no new registrations in the CoWin platform would be required for those taking the shot.

Vaccine
 
On Friday, the Union health ministry said that the eligible population, healthcare workers, frontline workers and those above 60 years of age with comorbidities, who have already taken two doses of the vaccine, can directly book an appointment, or walk in to any of the Covid-19 vaccination centres.

According to reports, the schedules will be published on January 8. The online appointment facility will also start by Friday evening. Vaccination with onsite appointment starts on January 10.

On December 25, PM Modi had announced the Centre’s decision to administer a ‘precautionary dose’ of the vaccine amidst spread of Omicron variant, which has led to a surge in Covid-19 cases. The Centre has already notified the states and Union territories that for each recipient, the third dose would be the same shot that was used for the first two doses.
 
Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said, “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.”

Meanwhile, the country’s vaccination drive administered 150 crore doses of the vaccine on Friday, a feat that was hailed by PM Modi and Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya.