Covid Booster Shots

One year after the deadly Delta wave of Covid devastated India, Adar Poonawalla, has told NDTV that while things may be better, we are not out of the woods yet.

Giving a different vaccine as the third dose than was received for the first two shots leads to better performance compared to using the booster of same preventive, according to a study published in The Lancet Global Health journal.

Delhi and Bihar, which have started administering free Covid precaution doses for the 18-59 year age group, have to reimburse the National Health Authority for using the available stock of jabs provided by the Union government for the purpose.

The Delhi government Friday said precaution doses of coronavirus vaccines will soon be provided free of cost to people at its hospitals.

A total of 9,674 precaution doses of COVID-19 vaccines were administered in the 18-59 years age-group on the first day on Sunday taking the cumulative doses given in the country to185.74 crore, the Union Health Ministry said.

Administering of precaution dose of COVID-19 vaccines began in Delhi on Sunday amid a steady rise in daily case count in the last few days here, even as the pace was sluggish with a few private vaccination centres starting the exercise.

Private vaccination centres on Sunday began the administration of the precautionary "third" dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, also known as the booster dose, for the 18-plus population.

The prices of Covishield and Covaxin vaccines at private hospitals have been slashed by more than half. This comes a day before the Covid vaccine booster shots become available to all Indian adults.

Mr Poonawala told NDTV that Covishield will cost Rs 600 plus taxes (same as before) and Covovax, once approved as a booster, will be available for Rs.900 plus taxes.

Those above 18 years of age will have to pay for their Covid booster shot unless they are above 60, healthcare workers or frontline staff.

Precaution dose of COVID-19 vaccines will be available to all aged above 18 years at private vaccination centres from April 10, the Union Health Ministry announced on Friday.

Facebook-owner Meta is no longer requiring employees to have COVID-19 boosters to enter its offices in the US, a company spokesperson said on Friday.

President Joe Biden received a second Covid-19 vaccine booster shot Wednesday and urged Americans to keep their guard up, while declaring that the pandemic no longer dominates the country.

Moderna announced Thursday it had asked the United States drug regulator for emergency authorization for a second booster shot of the company's Covid-19 vaccine for all adults.

India has started vaccinating children aged 12 to 14 years from today as it expands its COVID-19 vaccination coverage.

One year after the deadly Delta wave of Covid devastated India, Adar Poonawalla, has told NDTV that while things may be better, we are not out of the woods yet.

Giving a different vaccine as the third dose than was received for the first two shots leads to better performance compared to using the booster of same preventive, according to a study published in The Lancet Global Health journal.

Delhi and Bihar, which have started administering free Covid precaution doses for the 18-59 year age group, have to reimburse the National Health Authority for using the available stock of jabs provided by the Union government for the purpose.

The Delhi government Friday said precaution doses of coronavirus vaccines will soon be provided free of cost to people at its hospitals.

A total of 9,674 precaution doses of COVID-19 vaccines were administered in the 18-59 years age-group on the first day on Sunday taking the cumulative doses given in the country to185.74 crore, the Union Health Ministry said.

Administering of precaution dose of COVID-19 vaccines began in Delhi on Sunday amid a steady rise in daily case count in the last few days here, even as the pace was sluggish with a few private vaccination centres starting the exercise.

Private vaccination centres on Sunday began the administration of the precautionary "third" dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, also known as the booster dose, for the 18-plus population.

The prices of Covishield and Covaxin vaccines at private hospitals have been slashed by more than half. This comes a day before the Covid vaccine booster shots become available to all Indian adults.

Mr Poonawala told NDTV that Covishield will cost Rs 600 plus taxes (same as before) and Covovax, once approved as a booster, will be available for Rs.900 plus taxes.

Those above 18 years of age will have to pay for their Covid booster shot unless they are above 60, healthcare workers or frontline staff.

Precaution dose of COVID-19 vaccines will be available to all aged above 18 years at private vaccination centres from April 10, the Union Health Ministry announced on Friday.

Facebook-owner Meta is no longer requiring employees to have COVID-19 boosters to enter its offices in the US, a company spokesperson said on Friday.

President Joe Biden received a second Covid-19 vaccine booster shot Wednesday and urged Americans to keep their guard up, while declaring that the pandemic no longer dominates the country.

Moderna announced Thursday it had asked the United States drug regulator for emergency authorization for a second booster shot of the company's Covid-19 vaccine for all adults.

India has started vaccinating children aged 12 to 14 years from today as it expands its COVID-19 vaccination coverage.