New Delhi: People above 60 years of age and with various comorbidities and going for a booster or precaution dose will not need a doctor certificate or prescription to show they belong to the high-risk category. They will be eligible for vaccination without any documentary evidence, sources said Tuesday. Medical professionals, frontline health workers and senior citizens with comorbidities can take the booster dose from January 10.
The Centre announced the move to administer booster jabs amid concern over the highly transmissible variant Omicron. The announcement was made last Saturday.
“Doctor certificate/prescription not required to establish comorbidity; doctors advice an indication for 60+ persons to consult with their doctors before opting for a precaution dose,” the Health Ministry said in a statement Tuesday.
For 15 to 18 year olds who will be vaccinated starting January 3, both walk-in and online registration through CoWIN are allowed, the Health Ministry further said. Those on election duty in poll-bound states will be treated as frontline workers, eligible for precaution dose, the Health Ministry added.
Also read: Modi announces Covid vaccination for children between 15-18 yrs starting Jan 3
“All established protocols regarding vaccination are to be followed for the 15-18 years age group. The beneficiaries are to wait for half-an-hour when they will be monitored for AEFI and will be eligible for the second dose only after 28 days,” the Health Ministry said.
Several nations have reimposed Covid-19 safety rules after the Omicron variant of the coronavirus emerged. Covid-19 infections have surged in the US in recent days due to the highly transmissible variant, which was first detected in November and now accounts for nearly three-quarters of US cases and as many as 90 per cent in some areas, such as the Eastern Seaboard.
Several states in India have also announced night curfew to prevent crowding at public places during the New Year as the Omicron cases are rising.