New Delhi: Even as the recently opened Covid-19 vaccination for minors is starting to pick up pace in the Capital, around 3 lakh healthcare workers along with double vaccinated people above the age of 60 (with comorbidities) will from today be eligible to get a third dose of the vaccine — dubbed the "precautionary" dose to act as a booster against the virus that is raging through the country in its third wave.
The Delhi government authorities already have access to the entire list of healthcare and frontline workers who are double vaccinated and eligible for the third dose. Officials have said that the district authorities will have to
check those showing up today against their assigned reference numbers before administering the dose.
Significantly, officials have also reportedly made arrangements to increase the capacity of vaccination sites by 20 per cent — anticipating the rush for the "precautionary" dose of the vaccine. Moreover, it has been reported that officials have also made arrangements to further ramp up this capacity by 10 per cent if required.
While it will be easy for authorities to identify and administer the shots to those registered as healthcare workers, officials said that for those above 60 years of age, all that is required is a confirmation that their doctor had recommended it. They added that no medical prescription for this will be required and that vaccinators will simply ask the beneficiaries this question at the site. Significantly, the Delhi government has issued an order to all private hospitals and nursing homes to ensure that their doctors, staffers and other healthcare workers in their premises register and get the third dose of the vaccine for extra protection — even as hundreds of doctors have been benched due to testing positive.