All adults will receive a free Covid booster dose, for the next 75 days

• Officials announced on Wednesday that starting on Friday, all adults would be eligible to receive free booster doses.\
• It is part of a special campaign.
• The government’s celebrations to honor the 75th anniversary of India’s Independence will include an effort to increase third-dose coverage.

Officials announced on Wednesday that starting on Friday, all adults would be eligible to receive free booster doses of the coronavirus vaccine at government facilities as part of a special campaign.

The government’s “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav” celebrations to honor the 75th anniversary of India’s Independence will include an effort to increase third-dose coverage.

Less than 1% of the 77 crore-strong target population in the 18- to 59-year-old age range have received the precautionary dose to date.

However, according to a government official quoted by the news agency PTI, about 26% of the estimated 16 crore eligible people in the 60+ age group, as well as healthcare and frontline personnel, have already received the booster shot.

“The bulk of Indians had their second dose more than nine months ago. Giving a booster shot boosts the immune response, although antibody levels tend to decline six months after the main vaccination with both doses, according to study from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and other international research institutions “added the official.

As a result, he explained, “the government is intending to launch a special drive for 75 days during which people aged 18 to 59 years will receive preventive doses for free at government vaccination centers starting on July 15.”

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The time between the second and precautionary injection of the COVID-19 vaccine for all beneficiaries was shortened last week by the Union Health Ministry from nine to six months. The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization had recommended this (NTAGI).

On June 1, the government launched the second phase of the “Har Ghar Dastak campaign 2.0” throughout all states in an effort to speed up immunization rates and promote booster doses. Currently, the two-month program is under progress.

Government statistics show that 96% of India’s population has received the first dose of the Covid vaccination, and 87% of people have received both doses.

India started giving COVID-19 vaccine prophylactic doses to all adults over the age of 18 on April 10 of this year.

Healthcare workers received vaccinations as part of the initial phase of the nation-wide vaccination campaign, which began on January 16 of last year. Front-line employees began receiving vaccinations on February 2 of last year.

For individuals over the age of 60 and those with certain comorbid diseases who are 45 years of age or older, COVID-19 immunization started on March 1 of last year.

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