India’s free booster 75-day drive starts today

Starting Friday, all adults – in the 18-75 age group – will be able to get a free booster or precautionary dose at government Covid vaccine centres. India’s push for the third dose of Covid vaccine comes as about 92 per cent of the eligible population – or 594 million adults – is late in getting their booster shots, according to an HT report.

Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Thursday called for an intensive and ambitious push towards full COVID vaccination coverage by vaccinating all eligible beneficiaries and covering them with precaution dose at a virtual meeting with top health officials from states and union territories.

So far, the precautionary doses were available for free only for adults above 60 years of age. India expanded the vaccination drive for giving booster doses to health and frontline workers and those above 60 earlier this year. This was further expanded to cover all adults in April.

The free doses are being given as part of the 75-day ‘COVID Vaccination Amrit Mahotsava’, which will continue till September 30. The Amrit Mahotsava marks 75 years of independent India.

Health officials from states and union territories have been urged to implement the 75-day long drive with a massive mass mobilization, through a camp approach.

A government statement said that those eligible for the precaution dose include all persons of ≥18 years who have completed 6 months (or 26 weeks) from the date of administration of 2nd dose.

India has seen a slight uptick in cases in the recent past, triggering concern. On Thursday, more than 20,000 cases were reported in a day for the first time since February.

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