Private Covid vaccination centres can only up to Rs 150 as service charge on precaution dose

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A day ahead of the 'precaution dose' being made available to all above the age of 18 years, the Centre on Saturday said that the private COVID-19 vaccination centres can charge only up to a maximum of Rs 150 as service charge for vaccination over and above the cost of the vaccine.

The Centre also said that the precaution dose will be of the same COVID-19 vaccine as the one used for the administration of the first and second doses.

The precaution dose will be available to the 18 plus population group from April 10 at all private COVID-19 vaccination centres. All those who are more than 18 years of age and have completed nine months after the administration of the second dose, would be eligible for the precaution dose.

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Saturday held a meeting of all Health Secretaries of States and Union Territories regarding precaution dose for the 18-59 age group.

"No fresh registrations would be required for precaution dose as all due beneficiaries are already registered on CoWIN," he said in an official statement.

Bhushan also emphasized mandatorily recording all vaccinations on the CoWIN platform and both the options of "online appointment" and "walk-in" registration and vaccination will be available at the private COVID vaccination centres (CVCs).

The private CVCs have to maintain the vaccination sites as per the operational guidelinesissued by the Ministry earlier.

Healthcare workers, frontline workers and those aged 60 years or more will continue to receiveprecaution dose vaccination at any CVC, including free of charge vaccination at Government vaccination centres.

The states were also advised to accelerate the ongoing free vaccination program through Government vaccination centres for the first dose and second dose to eligible population and precaution dose to healthcare workers, frontline workers and 60 plus population.

India started administering precaution doses to frontline workers, healthcare workers, and those above the age of 60 years with comorbidities on January 10 this year. Later, on March 16, the vaccination drive for precaution dose was extended to all adults above the age of 60 years.

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