Decision on which vaccine will be given as precautionary dose soon: Govt

There have been extensive deliberations on whether the precautionary dose of Covid vaccine for healthcare and frontline workers and citizens above 60 years with comorbidities should be the same as the first two doses and a decision is expected soon, the government said on Thursday.

Addressing a press conference, ICMR Director General Dr Balram Bhargava said the government will issue clear cut recommendations on this before January 10, when administering of the precautionary dose to healthcare and frontline workers and those above 60 years with comorbidities will begin.

According to guidelines issued by the govt, prioritisation and sequencing of the precaution dose would be based on completion of nine months from the date of administration of second dose, which is 39 weeks.

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Eligibility for the precaution dose will be based on the date of administration of the second dose as recorded in the Co-WIN system, which will send an SMS for availing the precaution dose when it becomes due, the guidelines stated.