New Registration Not Needed For Precautionary Covid-19 Vaccine Dose: Centre

The precautionary Covid-19 vaccination dose for health and frontline workers and senior citizens above 60 years of age with comorbidities will start from January 10.

Doctor injecting vaccine into arm of senior male patient (Representational) | Photo: Getty

New Delhi: The precautionary Covid-19 vaccination dose or Booster dose for health and frontline workers and senior citizens above 60 years of age with comorbidities will start from January 10.

The eligible population who already received their two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine and eligible for the booster dose will not be required to undergo new registration, said the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Friday.

The eligible population can directly take an appointment or walk-in at any Covid-19 vaccination centre to receive their third dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. 

"Schedules will be published on January 8. The online appointment facility will also start by Friday evening. Vaccination with onsite appointment starts on January 10," the Union Health Ministry said.

The Centre has already made it clear that the precautionary Covid-19 vaccine or the booster dose will be the same vaccine as administered previously in the last two doses. 

Dr VK Paul, Member-Health in the NITI Aayog during a media briefing of Union Health Ministry on Wednesday said, “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."

Covid-19 vaccination drives for adolescents between the ages of 15 and 18 have already started in the country from January 3. On the first day itself, over 40 lakh teens were jabbed with the Covid-19 vaccine.

Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday announced that over one crore doses of the Covid-19 vaccine has already been administered to children between the ages of 15 and 18.