COVID-19 'precautionary' vaccine: Appointments for third dose to open today; check details here

Appointments for the ‘precautionary dose’ of the COVID-19 vaccine in India will begin today, 8 January, according to the announcement made by the central government. The Centre has also said that no new registrations in the CoWin platform would be required for those taking the shot. The health ministry will release the schedules for vaccination on Saturday.

The three priority groups of healthcare workers, frontline workers and 60-plus population with comorbidities, who are eligible for their third “precautionary dose” 39 weeks after getting their second jab, can either book an online appointment or walk into any vaccination centre, sources in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Friday.

“Those who have taken two doses of COVID-19 vaccine can directly take an appointment or walk into any vaccination centre,” the Union health ministry said.

It added that online appointment facility would also start by Saturday evening. Vaccination with on-site appointment starts on 10 January.

From 10 January, India will start administering the precautionary dose of the vaccine to healthcare workers, frontline workers and those above 60 years of age with comorbidities.

Amid concerns for a third wave and the emergence of the Omicron variant, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on 25 December announced the Centre’s decision to administer a ‘precautionary dose’ of the vaccine.

The Centre has already notified the states and Union territories that for each recipient, the third dose would be the same shot that was used for the first two doses.

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