The Union minister for Information & Broadcasting, Anurag Thakur announced that citizens above 18 years of age will be given free COVID-19 booster dose from Friday till next 75 days.
The drive aimed at boosting the uptake of the precaution doses drive will be held as part of the government’s initiative for ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ celebrations to mark 75th anniversary of India’s Independence.
Under the special 75-day drive, all adults in the 18 to 59 age group will be vaccinated with the Covid-19 vaccine booster doses free of cost from 15th July.
As per the official source, however, 25.84 per cent of the 16.80 crore eligible population aged 60 and above as well as health care and frontline workers have received the booster dose. So far, less than 1 per cent of the target population of 77 crore in 18 to 59 aged group have been administered with the third dose.
Giving his take on government’s move, Union Health Minister, Mansukh Mandaviya said, “The decision will further strengthen India’s fight against #COVID19 and add an extra layer of safety! I urge all those eligible to get their precaution dose at the earliest”.
As per the media report, Congress Rajya Sabha MP, Shakti Singh Gohil hit out the government questioning on why they took this step when most of the people have got the booster, “Most of the people have got the booster dose then what is the point of making it free?”
Last week, center had reduced the gap between the second and precaution Covid-19 vaccine doses for all beneficiaries from nine to six months respectively.
