Indian adult citizens to get free COVID booster dose from today

" 75 days - ‘COVID Vaccination Amrit Mahotsava’ will commence from tomorrow (15th July 2022) to provide free Precaution Dose at all adult (18 years and above) eligible population at Government COVID Vaccination Centres (CVCs)," read a statement issued by the Indian government.

Being implemented in a ‘Mission Mode’ this special COVID vaccination drive is a part of the celebration for Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.

The special drive isaimed to increase uptake for the Precaution Dose of COVID Vaccineamong the eligible adult population.

In a virtual meeting with State/UT Health Secretaries and NHM MDs chaired by Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan today, States and UTs have been urged to give an intensive and ambitious push towards full COVID19 vaccination coverage by vaccinating all eligible beneficiaries and covering them with precaution dose.

Union Health Secretary highlighted that less percentage of precaution doses uptake among population groups aged 18 years & above (8%) and persons aged 60 years & above (27%) is a cause of concern. 

The Indian government has announced a special drive ‘COVID Vaccination Amrit Mahotsava’ to be launched to provide free precaution doseat all Government Covid Vaccination Centres for persons aged 18 years &above. This would be for 75 days, from 15th July to 30th September 2022.

Those eligible for the Precaution Dose include all persons of ≥18 years who have completed 6 months (or 26 weeks) from the date of administration of 2nd dose.

States/UTs were urged to implement ‘COVID Vaccination Amrit Mahotsava’ for 75 days as ‘Jan Abhiyaan’ with massive mass mobilization, through a camp approach. 

They were advised to organize special vaccination camps in the routes of Char Dham Yatra (Uttarakhand),Amarnath Yatra (Jammu &Kashmir), Kanwar Yatra (all States/UTs of North-India) as well as major Melas and congregations. 

Union Health Secretary advised States/UTs to operationalise special workplace vaccination camps at big office complexes(public & private), industrial establishments, railway stations, inter-state bus stations, in schools and colleges etc. 

In all such special vaccination camps, vaccination to be done mandatorily through CoWIN and vaccination certificate to be provided. 

Ambitious District/Block/CVC-wise session plans need to be made for successful implementation of the initiative and to ensure that all eligible population is covered by Precaution Dose. 

States/UTs were also advised to do wide advance publicity of this initiative in print, electronic, social & mass media. State Health Secretaries have been urged to undertake regular weekly review of progress at the State level.

States/UTs were advised to ensure that the available COVID vaccine doses are consumed in a timely manner and no dose expires in both government and private facilities. Highlighting that COVID vaccine is a precious national resource, states were requested to assess the requirement for the 75-day special drive as per the eligible population  groups and informed the Centre.

This would enable the Union Ministry of Health to provide adequate doses to the States/UTs that need them. The principle of First Expiry, First Out shall continue to guide the COVID vaccination.