Booster Dose News India: Country starts precautionary dose drive from today; check eligibility, registration process and other details

India has begun administering booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to frontline workers and vulnerable elderly people on Monday.

Around 179,723 new cases were reported in India on Monday, mainly in Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata, where Omicron has surpassed Delta as the most prevalent strain of the virus, as per the PIB report.

On Monday, 146 deaths were reported, bringing the total to 483,936 deaths since the pandemic first hit India in early 2020.  In recent days, hundreds of healthcare and frontline workers, including police, have been infected by the virus.

Facing this rising third wave of infections, the government sent booster reminders to more than 10 million people who took their second dose of the Covaxin or Covishield shot nine months ago. While other countries are mixing and matching vaccines, India is not doing the same, as per Reuters.

Only healthcare personnel, frontline workers and people above 60 years suffering from other health conditions are eligible for what the government calls a "precaution dose".

"The government is committed to providing additional security cover to healthcare and frontline workers on priority," Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya wrote on Twitter.

Here's the step-by-step guide on how senior citizens can register for precautionary and booster doses:

-All senior citizens aged 60 years or above with comorbidities will be able to get the vaccination for precaution and booster dose using their current Co-WIN account.

-Beneficiaries can register in advance, onsite, or through the Co-WIN Facilitated Cohort Registration procedure.

-Eligibility of beneficiaries will be based on the date of administration of 2nd dose as recorded in the Co-WIN system.

-Verification will be done preferably using Aadhaar.

Apart from Aadhaar, other IDs approved by the MoHFW are:

1. EPIC,

2. Passport,

3. Driving license,

4. PAN Card,

5. Smart Card issued by RGI under NPR,

6. Pension Document with Photograph.

-When the precautionary and booster dosage is due, the Co-WIN system will send SMS to such recipients to remind them to take it.

-Registration and appointment services are available in both online and onsite formats.

-All Vaccination will be recorded in real-time through the Co-WIN Vaccinator Module on the same day.

Note: Vaccination will follow the standard procedure of registration, verification at session site, and reporting in Co-WIN, including AEFIs reporting and management.

Here's the step-by-step guide on how senior citizens can register for precautionary and booster doses:

-All senior citizens aged 60 years or above with comorbidities will be able to get the vaccination for precaution and booster dose using their current Co-WIN account.

-Beneficiaries can register in advance, onsite, or through the Co-WIN Facilitated Cohort Registration procedure.

-Eligibility of beneficiaries will be based on the date of administration of 2nd dose as recorded in the Co-WIN system.

-Verification will be done preferably using Aadhaar.

Apart from Aadhaar, other IDs approved by the MoHFW are:

1. EPIC,

2. Passport,

3. Driving license,

4. PAN Card,

5. Smart Card issued by RGI under NPR,

6. Pension Document with Photograph.

-When the precautionary and booster dosage is due, the Co-WIN system will send SMS to such recipients to remind them to take it.

-Registration and appointment services are available in both online and onsite formats.

-All Vaccination will be recorded in real-time through the Co-WIN Vaccinator Module on the same day.

Note: Vaccination will follow the standard procedure of registration, verification at session site, and reporting in Co-WIN, including AEFIs reporting and management.