Booster dose India: Govt tells required gap between second and precaution shot

CoWIN platform chief Dr R S Sharma on Monday confirmed the gap between the second and booster shot. "If you are above 60 years of age and have taken both doses and the gap between the second dose and the day you are registering is more than 9 months (39 weeks) then you are eligible," Sharma said.

CoWIN platform chief Dr R S Sharma said: "We've added an additional (10th) ID card for registration - the student ID card because some might not have Aadhaar or other identity cards."

Emphasizing precaution in view of the rise in cases of Omicron variant of COVID-19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on December 25 announced three major decisions in the fight against the disease including start of vaccination for children in 15-18 age group from coming January 3.

In his address to the nation, the Prime Minister said the government was following scientific advice in the vaccination drive against COVID-19. "Vaccination will start in the country for children aged between 15 to 18 years from January 3, 2022," he said.

"The government has decided that precautionary dose of vaccine will be started for healthcare and frontline workers starting January 10, 2022. Citizens above 60 years facing co-morbidities, they will have the option of taking precaution dose on the advice of their doctor," he added.

The Prime Minister said that 61 per cent of the adult population in the country had been given both doses of COVID-19 vaccine while 90 per cent of the adult population has go the first dose. India started the COVID vaccination drive on January 16 this year.

The Prime Minister said that the move to provide vaccination to children in the 15-18 age group is likely to aid in education normalization in schools and will reduce the worry of the parents with school-going children.