COVID-19 booster dose to be free for all adults in India from 15 July for next 75 days

New Delhi: The Central government on Wednesday said that COVID-19 booster doses will be administered free of cost to people above the age of 18 from 15 July, 2022 for the next 75 days.

Aimed at boosting the uptake of COVID-19 precaution doses, the drive will be held as part of the government's Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to celebrate the 75th anniversary of India's Independence.

"India is celebrating 75 years of independence. On the occasion of Azadi ka Amrit Kaal, it has been decided that from 15 July, 2022 till the next 75 days, citizens above 18 years of age will be given booster doses free of cost," Union Minister Anurag Thakur said on Wednesday.

Thakur said decision of providing free booster dose to people will make them secure from COVID-19. "The booster dose was free for frontline workers, COVID warrior and those above 60 years of age. This has now been expanded for all above 18 years."

The Union Minister further said that adults can get themselves inoculated with the third dose or precautionary dose for free at government centres.

#WATCH | Union Minister Anurag Thakur says, "...It has been decided that from 15th July 2022 till the next 75 days, all citizens above 18 years of age will be given booster doses free of cost...This facility will be available at all government centres..."#COVID19 pic.twitter.com/kZSOqHZQLg

— ANI (@ANI) July 13, 2022

It is worth mentioning that the Union Health Ministry last week had reduced the gap between the second and precaution dose of COVID-19 vaccine from the existing nine months to six months for those aged above 18.

News agency PTI quoted sources saying that so far, less than 1 per cent of the target population of 77 crore in the 18-59 age group have been administered the precaution dose.

Nearly 26 per cent of the estimated 16 crore eligible population aged 60 and above as well as healthcare and frontline workers have received the booster dose.

"A majority of the Indian population got their second dose over nine months ago. Studies at ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) and other international research institutions have suggested that antibody levels wane around six months after the primary vaccination with both doses... giving a booster increases the immune response," the official source said.

It is therefore, the government has planned to start a special drive for 75 days during which individuals aged between 18 and 59 years will be administered precaution doses for free at government vaccination centres starting from 15 July.

The nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive in India was started on 16 January, 2021, with healthcare workers getting inoculated in the first phase. Vaccination of frontline workers started from 2 February last year.

COVID-19 vaccination for people above 60 years of age and for those aged 45 and above with specified comorbid conditions started on 1 March, 2021.

Vaccination for all aged above 45 years commenced on 1 April, 2021, while vaccination drive for everyone above 18 years started on 1 May last year.

Inoculation drive against COVID-19 for those in the age group of 15-18 started on 3 January this year and India began administered vaccine doses to children aged 12-14 from 16 March, 2022.

With inputs from agencies

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