Precaution dose of COVID-19 vaccine rolled out at non-public centres

By PTI

NEW DELHI: India on Sunday started administering precaution dose of COVID-19 vaccines to all aged above 18 years, who’ve accomplished 9 months for the reason that administration of their second dose, at non-public vaccination centres.

The Centre has instructed all states and UTs that the precaution dose will likely be of the identical COVID-19 vaccine which has been used for administration of the primary and second dose and that non-public vaccination centres can cost as much as a most of Rs 150 per dose as service cost over and above the price of the vaccine.

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, who held an orientation assembly of all well being secretaries of states and UTs on Saturday, additionally knowledgeable that no recent registrations can be required for precaution dose as all due beneficiaries are already registered on CoWIN.

All vaccinations will mandatorily be recorded on CoWIN platform and each the choices of ‘Online appointment’ and ‘Walk-in’ registration and vaccination will likely be obtainable at non-public Covid vaccination centres (CVCs).

Private CVCs will keep the vaccination websites as per the rules issued earlier by the Ministry of Health.

“They can charge up to a maximum of Rs 150 per dose as service charge for vaccination over and above the cost of vaccine,” Bhushan had stated.

“Administration of precaution dose will be homologous i.e. same vaccine type will be used for precaution dose which was used for vaccination of first and second dose,” he had said.

Healthcare employees, frontline employees and residents aged 60 years and above, shall proceed to obtain precaution dose vaccination at any vaccination centres, together with freed from cost vaccination at Government Vaccination Centers, Bhushan had underlined.

The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 final 12 months with healthcare employees getting inoculated within the first part. Vaccination of frontline employees began from February 2 final 12 months.

The subsequent part of COVID-19 vaccination commenced on March 1 final 12 months for folks over 60 years of age and people aged 45 and above with specified co-morbid situations.

India launched vaccination for all folks aged greater than 45 years from April 1 final 12 months.

The authorities then determined to increase its vaccination drive by permitting everybody above 18 years of age to be inoculated towards the viral illness from May 1 final 12 months.

The subsequent part of vaccination commenced from January 3 for adolescents within the age group of 15-18 years.

India started administering precaution doses of vaccines to healthcare and frontline employees and people aged 60 and above with comorbidities from January 10. The nation started inoculating youngsters aged 12-14 from March 16. The cumulative COVID-19 vaccine doses administered within the nation has exceeded 185.70 crore, in keeping with official information until 7 am.