Those above the age of 18 will be eligible for a ‘precautionary’ or booster dose against the COVID-19 virus from April 10, the Union health ministry announced on Friday. However the booster dose will be available only at private vaccination centres, the ministry said.
Who is eligible for the precautionary dose?
All those above the age of 18 years are eligible. You can take your third dose after nine months of completion from your second dose.
How to book a slot?
Booking a slot for the third dose can be done through the CoWin portal or through the Aarogya Setu App. Below are the steps if you are booking through CoWin app:
(1.) Firstly, log in to https://selfregistration.cowin.gov.in/
(2.) Enter your 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.) Once you have entered the OTP, you will see details of the first two doses, and a ‘Precaution Dose’ tab. You will also see the number of days left for the booster dose and the due date.
(5.) Click on the ‘Schedule Precaution Dose’ tab to book an appointment.
(6.) Search for a vaccination centre using your area PIN code. You can also select the district and state.
(7.) Select a centre and the time slot. Also, you will be injected 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.) You will receive a message from VM-NHPSMS on your registered mobile number. An OTP will also be sent to show the vaccination centre.
Which vaccine will be administered for the precautionary dose?
“Administration of precaution dose will be homologous i.e. same vaccine type will be used for precaution dose which was used for vaccination of 1st and 2nd dose,” the health ministry has said in a statement.
What is the cost of the booster dose?
The Serum Institute of India (SII) and Bharat Biotech on Saturday said they have decided to cut prices of the precaution dose of their respective COVID-19 vaccines to Rs 225 per shot for private hospitals after discussion with the government.
“We are pleased to announce that after discussion with the central government, SII has decided to revise the price of COVISHIELD vaccine for private hospitals from Rs 600 to Rs 225 per dose,” SII CEO Adar Poonawalla said in a tweet.
Bharat Biotech Co-Founder Joint Managing Director Suchitra Ella in a tweet said: “We welcome the decision to make available precautionary dose for all adults. In consultation with the Central Government, we have decided to revise the price of #COVAXIN from Rs 1,200 to Rs 225 per dose, for #privatehospitals.”
Can a beneficiary walk into a vaccination center without an initial appointment?
Yes, a beneficiary can walk into a private vaccination center without a prior appointment. Appointments can be booked both online and offline.
“Eligible citizens can avail walk-in vaccination, wherein private covid vaccination centers (PCVCs) can add beneficiaries onsite to an ongoing vaccination session for precaution dose,” the health ministry statement state. The existing vaccination record of the beneficiary can be located by searching through their mobile number, reference ID, or the details of the ID card (Aadhar card). These details should be the same at the time of earlier doses.
Will a new vaccination certificate be issued for the third dose?
Yes, a new vaccination certificate will be issued after the third dose. You or the beneficiary will receive a confirmation SMS through CoWin platform. You can also download the certificate by logging in to the CoWin platform or Aarogya Setu apps.
How many precautionary doses have been administered in India, so far?
According to the statement issued by the Union health ministry, a total of about 96 percent of all those above the age of 15 years in India have received at least one vaccine dose, while about 83 percent have received both doses.
More than 2.4 crore precaution doses have also been administered to healthcare workers, frontline workers, and those aged above 60 years. Besides, 45 percent of beneficiaries in the 12-14 years age group have received the first dose, the ministry said.
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