Nearly three crore health and frontline workers will be eligible for the ‘precaution dosage’ of Covid vaccine in January, which will be administered nine months after the second dose, official sources said here on Sunday. Currently, the third shot, which will be given to approximately three crore people over the age of 60 with co-morbidities, will be of the same vaccine that was given in the first and second instances.
On Saturday, PM Modi announced that Covid vaccination for children between the age of 15 and 18 will begin on January 3, while ‘precaution doses’ for frontline workers and elderly over 60 with co-morbidities, will begin on January 10. However, only a very few of the eligible elderly may receive the third dose in January.
Since Covishield accounts for majority of the total 141 crore doses provided so far, it is anticipated a maximum of one crore people over 60 with comorbidities will be eligible in january. Covaxin, which obtained regulatory permission on Saturday for emergency use in children above the age of 12, will be used to immunise children aged between 15 and 18. Zydus Cadila’s ZyCoV-D, which obtained approval for use in children above the age of 12, is still not included in the government’s programme.
The government claims that there are enough dosages available to meet the increased demand. States have an inventory of four crore doses of Covaxin and demand for Covaxin in the 18-plus group has ceased in several states. As of Sunday, the states have 18 crore unutilised doses. The monthly production of Covaxin and Covishield is estimated at around 31 crore doses.
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