Are you 60 years old or above? Here`s what you need to do to get COVID `precaution` dose

In his recent address to the nation, PM Modi said the precaution dose will also be available for citizens above 60 years of age and with comorbidities on the advice of their doctor from January 10 next year as well.

NEW DELHI: Amid growing concerns over rising COVID-19 cases, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently announced in a televised address to the nation that vaccination against COVID-19 for children between 15-18 years will start from January 3, while "precaution dose" for healthcare, frontline workers and those above 60 would be administered from January 10.

The announcement was made by the PM amid rising Covid cases linked to the new Omicron variant of the virus. In his address, PM Modi said the precaution dose will also be available for citizens above 60 years of age and with comorbidities on the advice of their doctor from January 10 next year as well.

As per the announcement, people aged 60 years and above will be given a third dose of the Covid-19 vaccine from January 10 next year if they suffer from certain co-morbid conditions.

Who will get the COVID precaution dose?

Those above the age of 60 years, who are eligible for Covid-19 ‘precautionary doses’, would require a ‘comorbidities certificate’ to take the booster shot, according to Dr RS Sharma, chief executive officer (CEO) at National Health Authority (NHA).

Dr Sharma said the process will be the same that was followed when the Covid-19 vaccination was opened for people of 45-plus category, who suffered from specified co-morbidities.

What is a precaution dose?

The precaution dose mentioned by the PM refers to a third dose of the vaccine for fully vaccinated people. According to media reports, the government is likely to allow precautionary doses on the basis of 20 specific comorbidities, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, stem cell transplant, kidney disease or on dialysis, cirrhosis, cancer, sickle cell disease, and current prolonged use of steroids or immunosuppressant drugs.

Those eligible for booster dose can upload the certificate of comorbidity, signed by any registered medical practitioner, on Co-WIN 2.0 while self-registering. They can also carry a hard copy of it to the vaccination centres.

What should be the gap between 2nd Covid vaccine shot and the precaution dose?

Though the government’s technical panel is likely to decide on the gap between the 2nd Covid vaccine shot and precaution dose, sources said that the gap between the second dose of COVID-19 vaccine and the third is likely to be nine to 12 months.

The nitty-gritty of the gaps for the vaccines currently being used in India's inoculation programme - Covishield and Covaxin  - is being worked out, and a final decision over this will be taken soon, they said.

"The gap between the second and the precautionary dose of Covid vaccine is likely to be nine to 12 months with the immunisation division and the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) discussing on these lines," a source said.

More than 61 per cent of India's adult population has received both doses of the vaccine. Similarly, about 90 per cent of the adult population has received the first dose.

With the administration of 32,90,766 vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, the cumulative COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has exceeded 141.37 crore, as per provisional reports till 7 AM.