Covid-19: BMC issues instructions to nodal officers over 'precaution' dose

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The Mumbai civic body on Thursday issued detailed instructions to its nodal officers for giving 'precaution' or booster dose of COVID-19 vaccines to healthcare professionals, frontline workers and senior citizens above 60 and with comorbidities from January 10 and said their inoculation will be free at government and corporation-run centres.

In an internal circular, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) stated that health workers, frontline staffers and people above 60 with comorbidities will be eligible for 'precaution' dose if they have completed nine months, or 39 weeks, from the second dose of their COVID-19 vaccine.

The civic body said for taking the booster dose, eligible persons can either register online or walk in to vaccination centres. Presently, over 400 vaccination centres, including in private hospitals, are active in Mumbai. Till January 5, more than 1.80 crore Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered to people in Mumbai.

As per the circular, senior citizens with comorbidities won't need any certificate for taking the booster dose, but they need to consult their doctor before receiving the shot. The precaution dose will be given free in government-run centres, but citizens who want to take it from private facilities will have to pay as per rates decided by the Union government, the BMC said.

Frontline staff and health workers will have to produce their identity cards for taking the third shot, the circular said. Late last month, the Centre announced that precaution dose will be given to frontline and healthcare workers and citizens above 60 years of age and with comorbidities from January 10.

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