Precaution|Booster Dose|Cabinet Decision|If you have not yet administered the precautionary dose or booster dose of the vaccine that gives immunity to the coronavirus, then get ready. A booster dose will be given at government centers soon. Any person in the age group of 18 years to 59 years will be able to take the preventive vaccine at government centers. The Union Cabinet has approved this.

Yes, people of this age group will be able to get the precautionary or third dose of Covid Vaccine free of cost at government vaccination centers. This will be done under a special campaign of 75 days. Union Minister Anurag Thakur gave this information in the press briefing held after the cabinet meeting.

Union Minister Anurag Thakur said that a campaign will be launched under 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav' on the occasion of 75 years of India's independence with the aim of increasing awareness about the precautionary doses of Covid vaccine. Let us inform that so far less than one percent of the 77 crore eligible population of 18 to 59 years have been given a precautionary dose.

However, about 16 crore people above 60 years of age and about 26 percent of health workers and frontline workers have taken booster doses. Most of India's population had had their second dose nine months ago.

Studies conducted at the ICMR and other international research institutes have shown that antibody levels begin to decline in about six months after taking two initial doses of the vaccine. Taking a booster dose increases immunity.

Therefore, the government is planning to run a special campaign for 75 days, in which people in the age group of 18 years to 59 years will be given free preventive doses from July 15 at government immunization centers. The Union Health Ministry last week reduced the interval between the second and precautionary dose of the Covid vaccine for all from 9 months to 6 months. This was done on the recommendation of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization.