Over 17 lakh health and frontline workers along with citizens above 60 years suffering from co-morbidities have started receiving the precautionary dose across Odisha from Monday as India began the administration of booster dose amid the rising cases of Omicron and Covid-19 across the country.
Briefing the media on the vaccination drive, Health and Family Welfare Director Dr Bijay Panigrahi informed, “We have started administering precaution doses to healthcare, frontline workers and citizen above 60 years with co-morbidities across the State. A total of 17,52, 838 beneficiaries will be vaccinated.”
“There are two facilities available for booking the booster shots-- online appointment through CoWin Portal and on spot. However, beneficiaries must ensure the gap between the booster and the second dose is 9 months i.e. 39 weeks,” added Panigrahi.
“As many as 3,616 session sites have been opened for the vaccination out of which, 1,340 centres have been designated for the inoculation of children in 15 to 18 years age category,” informed the H&FW Director.
“We have increased the capacity of each centre by 20 per cent and therefore, the beneficiaries of precaution dose can get vaccinated in any session site. However, timing slots have been separated in some session sites. Like in Bhubaneswar, teenagers between 15 and 18 years will be administered the vaccine in the morning hours while the precaution shots will be given in the second shift. In some districts, exclusive session sites have been opened where only precaution doses will be administered,” stated Panigrahi.
As many 5,25,35,282 vaccine doses have been administered to the people of the State so far. While 91.6 percent have received the first dose and 68 per cent have received both doses, further informed Panigrahi.
As of now, a total of 6,33,093 children belonging to the 15 and 18 age group have been administered the Covid vaccine.
“The precautionary dose is just a preventive dose and as we come in close contact with the patients daily, the dose was necessary to prevent infection,” said a doctor at a session site in Cuttack.