India begins precaution dose drive, over 10 mn SMSes sent to beneficiaries

The drive for administering precaution dose to the healthcare workers, frontline workers and 60-plus individuals commenced on Monday across the country. The CoWIN portal has sent over one crore reminder messages to the beneficiaries to get the precaution dose.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on this occasion said in a tweet, "The program of giving Precaution Dose on the advice of doctors to healthcare and frontline workers and people of 60+ age is starting from today across the country".

He added in the same tweet, "Under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi ji, the government is committed to provide additional security cover to healthcare and frontline workers on priority".

Earlier, Vikas Sheel, Additional Secretary and Mission Director, National Health Mission, said that the reminder SMSs have been pushed to more than 1 crore beneficiaries for the precaution dose. The system is ready to welcome beneficiaries at vaccination centres on Monday.

The precaution dose will be administered to those who have completed nine months after the second dose. The health ministry had earlier said that the CoWin system will send reminder SMS to those eligible for the precaution dose.

The online booking of appointments for precaution dose through CoWIN portal started from Saturday. However, the ministry has clarified that there would be no need for new registration for precaution dose. The government has also clarified that the precaution dose will be of the same jab as the first and second dose. Those who got Covaxin will get Covaxin and those who got Covishield will get Covishield.