Covid-19 Booster Vaccination Begins For Frontline Workers, Senior Citizens

Amidst the Omicron scare taking grip over the nation, frontline workers have now started receiving precautionary third dose of vaccine.

A study from the UK claims that booster vaccine dose can help in providing up to 88 per cent protection from the viral Omicron variant.

On Day 1, around 10 lakh doses of this booster vaccine were recorded till 8 PM. In total, around 5.75 crore citizens are eligible for the third dose in the current drive.

People are eligible to receive the booster shots only after 9 months of receiving the second Covid-19 vaccine dose.

Therefore, the third jab will be the same as the first and second vaccine doses people received. There will be no mix and match.

Along with frontline workers, immuno-compromised seniors are also receiving the third vaccine dose. But senior citizens who got diabetes, hypertension and other chronic ailments can get the "Precaution dose" on doctor's advice.

With this vaccination drive, the government aims to reduce the infection rate of Omicron variant amongst healthcare workers. Many of them got infected for a second time, even after completing double vaccination.