Covid-19 vaccine: Free booster administration commences Friday

CHENNAI: With free precautionary booster dose administration commencing from Friday, the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine instructed all Deputy Director of Health Services to begin booster dose administration free of cost at all government vaccination centers.

DPH Dr T S Selvavinayagam said that the Government of India has instructed the state to conduct ‘Covid-19 Vaccine Amrit Mahotsav’ for 75 days as "Jan Abhiyaan" from July 15 to 30 September 2022 for speeding precaution dose administration of Covid-19 Vaccine for those in the age group of 18-59 free of cost in all Government Covid Vaccination Centers (GCVCs) for eligible beneficiaries on completion of 6 months i.e. 26 weeks) from date of administration of 2nd dose.

More than 3.63 crore people in the State are eligible for booster dose while only 18 lakh doses have been administered. The State has about 43 lakh doses of vaccines available currently.

All beneficiaries above 18 years who received two doses of Covid-19 vaccination on or before 31 March are eligible to receive third dose up to 30 September 2022.