NEW DELHI: The rollout of the ‘precaution dose’ (booster) of Covid vaccine on Monday received a modest response on the first day with more than 10.5 lakh people getting their third shot till 10pm. This included around 7.4 lakh health and frontline workers, and around 3.2 lakh elderly above 60 years of age.
Reminder SMSs were pushed to more than 1 crore eligible recipients, inviting them to receive the precaution dose on Monday.
Official sources say the low footfall could be due to multiple factors, including fear of infection, immobility among the elderly and increasing cases among health and frontline workers.

States like Gujarat (1.6 lakh), Andhra Pradesh (1.2 lakh), Rajasthan (95,891) and Karnataka (82,384) administered the highest number of precaution doses. However, among the other major states, Uttar Pradesh – which will soon go to the polls – gave 59,628 booster shots, whereas Bihar administered 64,671. Madhya Pradesh received a footfall of 65,165, Maharashtra 49,524 and West Bengal 35,236 till 10pm.
Meanwhile, the Centre clarified that no time limit has been set for Covid vaccination centres, and that they can operate till 10pm daily based on availability of human resources and infrastructure.
Overall, about 91.3 lakh doses were given on Monday till 10pm, with more than 1 lakh sites conducting vaccination.
According to the health ministry’s projection, nearly 3 crore health and frontline workers are estimated to be eligible in January to get the booster or “precaution dose” of Covid vaccine. Besides, nearly 2.8 crore people in the 60-plus age group with comorbidities are projected across the country. Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu have most people in this category. However, very few such people may actually be eligible for receiving the third dose in January after completing the nine-month interval.
The government has already clarified that ‘precaution dose’ will be of the same vaccine as the first and second dose. Those who got Covaxin will get Covaxin and those who got Covishield will get Covishield. Details of precaution dose will also reflect in the vaccination certificate.