COVID Precaution Dose From Today: Eligibility, Booking, Registration, Walk-in Appointments | All You Need to Know

An estimated 1.05 crore healthcare and 1.9 crore frontline workers, and 2.75 crore co-morbid people in the 60 plus age group would be administered the precaution dose according to schedule, Health Ministry sources said.

New Delhi: India is all set to start administering the precaution dose or booster shot of COVID vaccine to healthcare and frontline workers and comorbid people aged 60 and above from Monday in a bid to stymie the coronavirus spread driven by its Omicron variant. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, in a tweet on Sunday, said reminder SMSes have been sent to over one crore healthcare and frontline workers and senior citizens for their precaution dose.

An estimated 1.05 crore healthcare and 1.9 crore frontline workers, and 2.75 crore co-morbid people in the 60 plus age group would be administered the precaution dose according to schedule, Health Ministry sources said. Personnel deployed for election duty in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Manipur and Goa have also been designated as frontline workers.

देश सुरक्षित करने वाली हेल्थ आर्मी की सुरक्षा सरकार कर रही सुनिश्चित।

क़रीब 1 करोड़ से अधिक हेल्थ व फ़्रंटलाइन वर्कर्स तथा 60+ नागरिकों को उनकी #PrecautionDose हेतु रिमाइंडर SMS भेजे गये है। COWIN पर अपॉइंटमेंट पहले से शुरू है। कल से डोज लगाने का कार्यक्रम शुरू किया जा रहा है।

— Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) January 9, 2022

According to guidelines issued by the Union Health Ministry, the gap between the date of administering the second dose of vaccine and the precaution dose would be nine months (39 weeks). 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.

Covid Booster Dose: Eligibility

The precautionary COVID-19 vaccine dose will be given to healthcare and frontline workers, and those over 60 years of age with co-morbidities from January 10.

Covid Booster Dose: Registration on CoWIN portal

Registration for the ‘precaution dose’ of COVID-19 vaccine for healthcare workers, frontline workers and those aged 60 and above with co-morbidities started on the CoWIN portal on Saturday evening.

Additional Secretary and Mission Director, National Health Mission (NHM), Vikas Sheel on Saturday said in a tweet, “The feature for online appointments for precaution dose for HCWs/FLWs and Citizens (60 ) is now live on Co-WIN. To book an appointment, please visit http://cowin.gov.in.” Registration and appointments are available in both online and onsite formats.

Covid Booster Dose: Walk-in appointments

The eligible population who have taken two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine can directly take an appointment or walk into any vaccination centre.

How much gap between second and booster dose?

Eligibility of such beneficiaries for the precaution dose will be based on the date of administration of the second dose as recorded in the Co-WIN system (completion of 9 months i.e. 39 weeks from the date of administration of second dose), according to the guidelines issued by the ministry.

Covid Booster Dose: Which vaccine?

The Centre has already said that the precautionary COVID-19 vaccine dose will be the same vaccine as administered previously in the first two doses. So, if a person has been jabbed with two shots of Covishield, he will be administered the third shot of Covishield only. And if someone has taken shots of Covaxin, they will be given the third shot also of the same vaccine.

“Precautionary COVID-19 vaccine dose will be the same vaccine as has been given previously. Those who have received Covaxin will receive Covaxin, those who have received primary two doses of Covishield will receive Covishield,” NITI Aayog member (Health) Dr V K Paul said.