New Delhi: People in the age group of 18 to 59 years will be able to get the Corona Precaution Dose or the third dose free of cost at government vaccination centers in the country. This will be done under a special campaign of 75 days, which may start from July 15. Official sources gave this information on Wednesday.
He said that a campaign would be launched under ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ on the occasion of 75 years of India’s independence with the aim of increasing awareness about Covid precautionary doses. An official source said that so far less than one percent of the 77 crores eligible population in the age group of 18 to 59 years have been given a preventive dose.
However, about 160 million people above 60 years of age and about 26 percent of health workers and frontline workers have already received booster doses. The official said, “Most of India’s population had taken their second dose nine months ago. Studies conducted at ICMR and other international research institutes have shown that antibody levels begin to drop in about six months after two initial doses of the vaccine and immunity build up with booster doses.”
“Therefore, the government is planning to run a special campaign for 75 days in which people in the age group of 18 years to 59 years will be given free preventive doses at government immunization centers from July 15,” he said. The Union Health Ministry last week reduced the interval between the second and precautionary dose of the Kovid vaccine for all from nine months to six months. This was done on the recommendation of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization.
