NEW DELHI: The health ministry announced that the precautionary third dose of covid vaccine for all adults will be now available from Sunday 10 April.
The COVID-19 precautionary third dose for the 18 plus population will be given in the private vaccination centres.
According to the ministry, every individual above 18 years of age will be eligible for the precautionary third dose but must have completed 39 weeks or 9 months period after the 2nd covid dose.
Notably, this dose will not be available free of cost like the first and second dose as one can get the precautionary at a private vaccination centre, they will have to pay for it.
However, the health workers, elderly citizens and frontline workers are eligible to get the precautionary third dose at the government vaccination centres without paying.
The Co-Win platform is likely to be used for the vaccination process as SMS will be sent to beneficiaries for availing of the doses.
Appointment and registration services can be accessed through both offline and online methods by booking slots online in CoWin mobile application and by physically visiting the private vaccination centres.
The booking of slots, as usual, can be done through the CoWIN portal. Here's how you can book an appointment for the precautionary dose:
(1.) Log in to https://selfregistration.cowin.gov.in/
(2.) Enter the mobile number used for booking slots for the first and second dose.
(3.) A one-time password (OTP) will be sent to the registered mobile number.
(4.) You will now see details of the first two doses, as well as the Precaution dose tab. You will also see the number of days left for the booster dose and the due date.
(5.) Then, click on the 'Schedule precaution dose' tab to book an appointment.
(6.) Search for a vaccination centre using PIN code or by selecting district and state.
(7.) Select a centre and the time slot. Also, you will be inoculated with the same jab as for the first two shots.
(8.) Upon successfully booking a slot, its details will be visible on the screen.
(9.) As a confirmation of the appointment, you will receive a message from VM-NHPSMS on your registered mobile number. An OTP will also be sent; it is to be shown at the vaccination centre.
The government has earlier announced the precautionary doses only for the health workers, frontline workers and senior citizens and was continuing to provide it in various public hospitals.
It may be mentioned that a total of 45.15 lakh precautionary doses have been given to health care workers and a total of 1.25 crore people above 60 years old age has received the dose while 69.77 lakh frontline workers are done with the precautionary doses.
For the boosters' schedules, the country will follow the homologous vaccination which means that the beneficiary receiving 2 doses of Covidshield will have to take its third dose.
The decision by the Indian government for precautionary dose comes amid the new surge in the covid case in China that is affecting a large section of people.
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