Ready to start booster dose at our centres: BMC

After Union Health Ministry says precautionary dose for all above 18 will be made available at private centres, BMC says awaiting directives to start, too

If you are aged above 18 and have taken the second dose of vaccine at least nine months ago, you will be able to get the booster dose at private vaccination centres from April 10, as per the Union Health Ministry’s announcement on Friday. The BMC, meanwhile, said that it is waiting for Centre’s direction and is ready to start administering the precautionary dose at all 125 civic vaccination centres too.

“We are waiting for the Centre’s guidelines. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation can start booster doses for adults from Monday. BMC’s 125 centres are ready for booster with enough vaccines. In addition, 150 private centres can also start booster doses, for which the cost has been decided by the government,” said Additional Municipal Commissioner Suresh Kakani.

Citizens can book appointments for the dose on the CoWIN app. As per the government, the vaccine will cost between R780 and R1,400 at private centres. According to BMC records, 75,86,539 citizens in the age group of 18 to 59 years have taken both doses of vaccine. “Those who have completed nine months since the second dose will be eligible for the dose,” Kakani said.

“We have all the machinery set up for vaccination. Our staff is already trained and experienced in vaccination. Even after that, if the government asks for re-training the staff then the BMC is ready for that too,” a civic official said. Booster doses for healthcare, frontline workers as well as senior citizens have already started and so far 4.2 lakh have taken the dose, as per BMC record.

Health experts have welcomed the decision. COVID Task Force member and Director of Critical Care at Fortis Hospitals Dr Rahul Pandit said, “It is a good decision by the government. Till now only senior citizens were allowed to take booster doses, but now all adults can get it to help them fight the virus.”

However, Dr Lancelot Pinto, consultant pulmonologist and epidemiologist at Hinduja Hospital, said, “Individuals who are young and have no comorbidities or immunosuppressive conditions are unlikely to benefit from precautionary doses. This is because such individuals have a very low risk of moderate to severe disease, and vaccines offer little protection against infection with variants such as Omicron. 
However, the decision to allow such doses in private hospitals is welcome as international travel may mandate it. And individuals, in consultation with their doctors, can make educated choices about whether or not they need to take it.” 

10 April
Day from when booster doses will be available

"Exciting news! Mid-day is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!