Kolkata, Jan 10 (PTI) The drive to vaccinate health and frontline workers and elderly people with comorbidities with a COVID-19 booster dose began in West Bengal on Monday, a health official said.
A total of 22 lakh senior citizens, 10.5 lakh health workers, 7.5 lakh frontline personnel and 5 lakh doctors in the state are scheduled to receive the precautionary dose, he said.
Fully vaccinated senior citizens with comorbidities are eligible for the third dose, the official said.
“Today, we plan to administer the booster dose to at least two lakh frontline and healthcare workers. The drive will be carried out in all vaccination centres. At present, we have 1.4 crore doses. Hopefully, this will help us give the booster dose also to vulnerable senior citizens in the state,” he said.
In view of a spurt in COVID-19 cases in the state, the Health Department has taken extra precautionary measures to ensure that people adhere to safety protocols.
“As doctors, nurses, policemen and healthcare and frontline workers got COVID-19 vaccine doses well before the masses, the antibody count in them has touched the rock-bottom. Hence, they must get the booster dose first so that their immunity levels increase,” Dr Anima Halder, principal of state-run Infectious Diseases and Beliaghata General Hospital told PTI.
Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has opened over 100 urban primary health clinics across 144 wards for administering the booster dose. Other state-run and private establishments are also giving the dose, officials said. PTI SCH ACD ACD
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Source: The Print
