New Delhi, Jan 5 (FN Agency) The Union Health Ministry on Wednesday announced that the precaution doses for healthcare and frontline workers and those aged above 60 with comorbid conditions will be from the same vaccine as given previously. “Precaution doses will be homologous. It means Covaxin would be administered as precaution dose to Covaxin recipients (previous 2 doses) and Covishield to Covishield recipients (previous 2 doses),” Dr VK Paul, Member (health), NITI Aayog and chairperson of National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) said. “The government has not taken any decision on mix and match of vaccines in India as its data is yet to pour in,” he added.
In a televised address on December 25, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the announcement for a “precaution dose” for healthcare and frontline workers as well as those aged above 60 having the co-morbid condition. He had also announced the vaccination of adolescents aged 15-17 with this month. While vaccination for the population belonging to 15 to 17 years has already started from January 3, the administration of booster doses, being termed as precaution dose in India, will start from January 10. The Union Health Ministry in its latest guidelines has set eligibility criteria for the precaution dose after completion of nine months or 39 weeks from the date of administration of the second dose.