COVID booster shots in J&K from today

Srinagar: The COVID19 booster shots will be administered to the eligible age groups from Monday. Healthcare workers, frontline workers and people aged 60 years and above can get the shot at any of the vaccination sites across districts in J&K.

The drive will be launched at Government Hospital Gandhi Nagar Jammu by Lieutenant Governor (LG) Manoj Sinha, the Health, Family Welfare and Immunization department of J&K said. Dr Saleem ur Rehman, Director General of the department said the eligible beneficiaries can register online or on spot at any of the vaccination sites. He said that at least 20 percent of beneficiaries, those who had taken the second dose in April, could take the opportunity for “added protection”.

   

Dr Rehman said that although booster dose is “precautionary only”, he would urge people, especially the doctors, those having high contact risk and those with age and other co-morbidities to take the shot. “We have seen that those who end up in hospitals and those who lose the battle with the Virus are the ones who have either not taken the vaccine at all or have taken only one dose,” he said. He said that vaccination prevented disease severity and the rising cases underlined the importance of vaccination “more than before”.

As per GoI, there has to be a gap of 9 months between the second and the third dose. The booster shot will be given with the same vaccine as the first as second dose. People do not need to register afresh for the booster shot.

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