Precautionary dose must be of the same Covid vaccine, pvt centers can charge up to Rs 150 as a service charge’
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Precautionary dose must be of the same Covid vaccine, pvt centers can charge up to Rs 150 as a service charge’

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The center told states on Saturday that the precautionary dose will be the same COVID-19 vaccine as the vaccine used to deliver the first two doses and private vaccination centers can charge up to a maximum of Rs 150 per dose as a service on top of the cost of the vaccine.

The Center announced on Saturday that the precautionary dose of Covid vaccines will be available to everyone over the age of 18 in private vaccination centers from April 10.

Anyone over the age of 18 who finishes nine months after the second dose is eligible for the precautionary dose.

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, who held an orientation meeting of health secretaries from all states and territories of the Union on Saturday, also said that no new registration would be required for the precautionary dose as all beneficiaries are already registered on the CoWIN platform. .

It was emphasized that all vaccinations are required to be registered on CoWIN and that both the options of “online appointment” and “walk-in” registration and vaccination will be available at the private Covid Vaccination Centers (CVCs). The private CVCs will maintain the vaccination sites in accordance with the guidelines previously issued by the Union Ministry of Health.

“They can charge up to Rs 150 per dose as a vaccination service fee on top of the cost of the vaccine,” Bhushan said.

Administration of a precautionary dose will be homologous – the same vaccine type will be used for the precautionary dose used for the vaccination of the first and second doses, he stated.

Health professionals (HCWs), front-line workers (FLWs) and citizens aged 60 and over will continue to receive the precautionary dose at the vaccination centers, including free vaccination at the government vaccination centers, Bhushan emphasized.

A detailed orientation of the state officials was made on several new provisions on CoWIN for the expansion of the population eligible for the precautionary dose and also for the correction of the vaccination certificates by citizens.

States were also advised to accelerate the delivery of the ongoing free Covid first-dose and second-dose vaccinations to the population over 12 years of age and to optimize the administration of the precautionary dose for the HCWs, FLWs and 60s. – seniors. above at the government CVCs.

Additional Secretary (Health) Dr. Manohar Agnani and other senior officials from the Union Ministry of Health attended the virtual meeting, along with the health secretaries, NHM mission directors and other officials from the Union’s states and territories.