India to roll out 'precaution' vaccine dose: All you need to know

New Delhi, Jan 09: India is all set to administer "precaution doses" of Covid-19 vaccines for healthcare workers, frontline workers and those who are above the age of 60 with comorbidities from Monday. The third covid vaccine in India is called called 'precaution dose' not booster dose.

Citizens irrespective of their income status are entitled to free COVID-19 vaccination at Government Vaccination Centres. Those who have the ability to pay are encouraged to use private hospitals' vaccination centres.

Who will be given precaution dose?

Healthcare, frontline workers and comorbid people aged 60 and above will get precaution dose from 10th January 2022, Monday. Personnel deployed for election duty in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Manipur and Goa have also 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.

What is the dose gap between the second and third shots?

The gap between the date of administering the second dose of vaccine and the precaution dose would be nine months (39 weeks).

Will there be mix-and-match of vaccines?

There would be no mix-and-match of vaccines for the precaution dose. The beneficiaries would be given the same vaccine as their previous two jabs.

CoWIN will send reminder messages to all those eligible for this dose and after administration of the shot, it will be noted in the digital vaccination certificate.

How do I register?

Online appointments for precaution dose began on the CoWin portal on Saturday evening. However, there is also the option of an onsite appointment and it will start on January 10.

Is there any need to submit medical certificate?

Those aged 60 years and above with comorbidities will not be required to produce or submit any certificate from a doctor at the time of administration of the precautionary dose of vaccine.

Is it necessary to get a precaution shot?

The first two doses are effective against Coronavirus. However, they may become less effective over time. In that case, precaution shots offer extra protection against COVID-19.

Wil the emergence of highly-infectious Omicron variant, it is advisible for people with comorbidities. This has been done in the light of the amount of time that the frontline workers and health care workers spend in the service of Covid patients. The decision of precaution dose will strengthen confidence of healthcare and frontline workers.

Precaution dose for elderly, healthcare staff from Jan 10: How to register

• 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.
• Eligibility of such beneficiaries for the precaution dose will be based on the date of administration of 2nd dose as recorded in the Co-WIN system.
• Co-WIN system will send SMS to such beneficiaries for availing the precaution dose when the dose becomes due.
• Registration and appointment services can be accessed through both, the online and the onsite modes.
• The details of administration of the precaution dose will be suitably reflected in the vaccination certificates.

India's vaccination drive

The countrywide COVID-19 vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 last year with healthcare workers getting inoculated in the first phase. The vaccination of frontline workers started on February 2.

The next phase of inoculation commenced from March 1 for people over 60 years of age and those aged 45 and above with specified co-morbid conditions. The country launched vaccination for all people aged more than 45 years from April 1.

The government then decided to expand its vaccination drive by allowing everyone above 18 to be vaccinated from May 1. COVID-19 vaccination for adolescents in the age group of 15-18 years commenced from January 3.