No certificate required to prove comorbidity: Health Ministry on precaution dose for senior citizens

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has recently clarified that no certificate or prescription from a doctor is required for senior citizens with comorbidities if they wish to get administered the precaution dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Issuing fresh guidelines for the precaution dose administration, the Health Ministry has said that no certificate is mandatory for senior citizens, and they can get the third dose of the vaccine after seeking advice from their doctors and medical professionals.

In an official statement, the Health Ministry said, “Doctor certificate/prescription not required to establish comorbidity; doctors advice an indication for 60+ persons to consult with their doctors before opting for a precaution dose.”

The vaccination drive for administering the precaution or booster dose to frontline workers, healthcare workers, and those above the age of 60 with comorbidities will commence across India from January 10, 2022, and the registrations on CoWIN are expected to start soon.

Similarly, the COVID-19 vaccination drive for 15 to 18-year-olds will start from January 3, and the registration and slot booking for the same will commence on the CoWIN app and website from January 1, 2022. Walk-ins are also allowed for this age group, as per the Centre.

The Health Ministry said, “All established protocols regarding vaccination are to be followed for the 15-18 years age group; beneficiaries are to wait for half-an-hour when they will be monitored for AEFI and will be eligible for the 2nd dose only after 28 days.”

The ministry has further announced that all those on election duty in poll-bound states will be treated as frontline workers, and will be eligible for the precaution dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The gap between the second dose of the vaccine and the precaution dose is likely to be 9 to 12 months.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the administering of the precaution dose and the COVID-19 vaccination drive for children amid the current surge in Omicron cases across the country. The international travel guidelines have also been tightened due to the new COVID-19 variant.