Several states make booster shots free, dose uptake still low at 5 crore

NEW DELHI: The Centre is currently administering precaution doses free of cost to only those above 60 and health & frontline workers.
Even as many states have announced free booster doses for all adults above 18 years, the drive has failed to pick up so far with only around five crore booster doses given till Wednesday 7pm. Of this, 2. 7 crore doses have been given to those above 60 years, around one crore frontline workers and nearly 60 lakh health workers. Apart from this, around 73 lakh precaution doses have been ad ministered in private hospitals to adults between 18 and 59 years.
Responding to the Cabinet decision, health minister Mansukh Mandaviya said, “The decision will further strengthen India’s fight against Covid-19 and add an extra layer of safety! I urge a ll those eligible to get their precaution dose at the earliest. ”
Recently, the health ministry also reduced the gap between the second and precautio n doses nine to six months following a recommendation by the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation. The government has also initiated a door-to-door vaccination campaign to accele rate the pace of vaccination and encourage booster shots.