Booster dose for frontline workers and citizens above 60 year old has been commenced at Kamala Nehru hospital, Pune, on Monday. (Express photo by Arul Horizon) Starting today, senior citizens above the age of 60 will be eligible for a ‘precaution dose’ of the Covid-19 vaccine. The same is also being given to those who are registered as frontline workers such as healthcare workers, nurses, doctors, etc. While the government has said that there is no need to register to get the ‘precautionary dose,’ and walk-ins are allowed, registering on Cowin can make it easier to get a fixed slot for this vaccination dose.
Cowin says users will be eligible for a Precaution Dose if the following conditions are met: If you are registered as a Health Care Worker (HWC) or a Front Line Worker (FLW) or a citizen aged 60 years or more. Further, you need to be already fully vaccinated as per the vaccination details recorded on the website.
The Precaution dose option will show only if 39 weeks have passed after administration of your full vaccination, which is nine months. Pre-booking a slot on Cowin will also ensure you are going in at a fixed time and leaving quickly, which is ideal given the rising cases for Covid-19.
Here’s how to register for ‘precaution dose’ on the Cowin portal or using the Aarogya Setu app
- Open cowin.gov.in or in Aarogya Setu app, go to the Cowin tab, and tap on the vaccination tab.
- Log in with the mobile number, which you have used for previous registration. If someone else registered on your behalf, please ask them for One Time Password (OTP) when using that particular mobile number. Remember, up to 4 people can be registered using the same mobile number on the Cowin portal.
- After you have logged in, you will likely see your name and profile. If you have not been vaccinated so far and are planning to get it done now, then you will need to register.
- For those who are fully vaccinated and eligible for precaution dose, the system will show the slots for Precaution Dose in the Appointments Module.
- Tap on the ‘Precaution dose’ tab and then choose appointments.
- Choose the appointment based on your location, Pincode, etc and tap/click on Book appointment. The appointment should get confirmed and details can be downloaded from the app.
Registering on Cowin for the first time: Here’s how to do
Keep in mind that Cowin recommends that users should carry their registered mobile phone, Photo ID to the appointment. It also states that senior citizens, who are aged 60 years or more and who have co-morbidities, should take precaution dose, only after medical advice. Also, a session once booked cannot be cancelled, but it can be rescheduled. Once your appointment is confirmed, an SMS will also come with details confirming the same.
- The Indian Express website has been rated GREEN for its credibility and trustworthiness by Newsguard, a global service that rates news sources for their journalistic standards.
