Covid precaution dose: Private vaccination centres in Delhi gear up for exercise

With the Centre announcing the roll-out of precaution dose of COVID-19 vaccines for all adults, doctors at private vaccination centres in Delhi on Saturday said they are all prepared for the exercise and that the third shot will provide ''stronger protection'' against the coronavirus.

The Union Health Ministry had on Friday announced that precaution dose will be available at private vaccination centres from April 10 for all aged above 18 who have completed nine months after the administration of the second dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

Doctors and administrators at several leading private hospitals in Delhi asserted that they are all set to administer the booster shot to people.

Dr Sandeep Budhiraja, group medical director, Max Healthcare, said, ''We have been at the forefront, among private healthcare players, in administering Covid vaccines. With the government allowing the third dose, we are fully prepared to extend our support and carry it out.'' ''Vaccination centres at our hospitals are ready to administer the booster doses. We welcome this move as it will provide stronger protection against Covid,'' he said.

Dr Bishnu Pangrahi, group head, Medical Strategy and Operations, Fortis Healthcare, said the government's decision to make the precaution dose available for all adults has come at the right time as many countries are again witnessing a surge in COVID-19 cases.

''Looking at how a lot of countries are again witnessing a new virulent wave and with the emergence of new Covid variants, I think it is a step taken in the right direction at the right time and would like to congratulate the government on this.

''This announcement helps us target our demographic dividend -- the workforce which powers India's economic growth,'' a statement quoted Pangrahi as saying.

All studies have shown the benefits of vaccination as it prevents critical illness and hospitalisation. The New England Journal of Medicine's articles have clearly shown the benefits of a third dose, he said.

''The precaution dose will safeguard people (aged) above 18 and most importantly the ones who have co-morbidities from infectious stages of the disease,'' he added.

In another statement issued later in the day, Fortis Healthcare said, ''As of now, we have not received any communication from the authorities or the vaccine makers on the process for receiving and administering precaution doses to the 18 and above age group, or on the new cost''.

''The vaccine stock that we are currently holding was purchased at the previously approved government prices. We will resume the vaccinations as soon as we receive clarifications, hopefully by Monday,'' it added.

Delhi on Friday recorded 146 fresh COVID-19 cases and one death, while the positivity rate stood at 1.39 per cent, according to data shared by the state health department.

There has been an uptick in COVID-19 cases in Delhi over the last three days.

The number of daily COVID-19 cases in Delhi had touched the record high of 28,867 on January 13 this year during the third wave of the pandemic.

The city had recorded a positivity rate of 30.6 per cent on January 14, the highest during the third wave of the pandemic which was largely driven by the highly transmissible Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

A spokesperson of Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals said, ''The roll-out of precautionary dose of COVID-19 vaccine for the 18 and above age group starts at the facility from April 11. Both Covaxin and Covishield shall be available for the people under this age bracket who have completed nine months post the administration of their second dose''.

According to official sources, the precaution dose will be of the same vaccine as the first and the second dose as of now.

The final guidelines on the precaution dose for adults will be issued soon, the Union health ministry had said on Friday.

So far, about 96 per cent of all those aged above 15 have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, while about 83 per cent have received both doses, according to ministry data.

More than 2.4 crore precaution doses have also been administered to healthcare workers, frontline workers and those aged above 60. Besides, 45 per cent of beneficiaries in the 12-14 years age group have received the first dose, the ministry had said.

The cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has exceeded 185.38 crore, it had said.