India starts giving Covid-19 ‘precautionary doses’ to 60+, frontline workers

The drive to administer Covid-19 precaution dose for healthcare workers, frontline workers and persons aged above 60 with comorbidities kickstarted on Monday.(Express photo by Nirmal Harindran)

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 according to schedule, Health Ministry sources said. (Express photo by Nirmal Harindran)

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. (Express photo by Arul Horizon)

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). (Express photo by Nirmal Harindran)

Similar is the criteria for the persons aged above 60 with co-morbidities, and no medical certificate is required for eligible beneficiaries to avail precaution dose. (Express photo by Arul Horizon)

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. (Express photo by Arul Horizon)

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 precaution dose of vaccine. (Express photo by Partha Paul)

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 from February 2. (Express photo by Bhupendra Rana)

According to the Health Ministry, private hospitals that function as COVID-19 Vaccination Centres can inoculate their eligible staff members. (Express photo by Bhupendra Rana)

A senior citizen received a dose of covishield at Dakuria Amri hospital in Kolkata.(Express photo by Partha Paul)

Booster dose for frontline workers and citizens above 60 year at Kamala Nehru hospital in Pune. (Express photo by Arul Horizon)

Senior citizens get vaccinated in Ward 5 Market Char Rasta in Vadodara on Monday. (Express photo by Bhupendra Rana)

Health staff received their dose at Dayanand Medical College & Hospital in Ludhiana on Monday. (Express photo by Gurmeet Singh)

Health staff during the observation period after receving their booster dose at Dayanand Medical College & Hospital in Ludhiana on Monday. (Express photo by Gurmeet Singh)

Beneficiaries including front line workers and aged people above 60 years receiving the booster vaccine dose as a measure of precaution at Municipal run Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar on Monday. (Express Photo by Amit Chakravarty)

Doctors in the observation area after receiving their booster dose at Dhakuria Amri hospital in Kolkata on Monday. (Express photo by Partha Paul)