The Union Health Ministry on Friday announced that precaution dose of COVID-19 vaccines would be made available to the 18+ population at private vaccination centres from April 10.

However, all in the age group must have completed nine months from the date of administration of the second dose.

As per the Health Ministry data, so far about 96% of all 15+ population in the country have received at least one dose, while about 83% of the population has received both the doses.

Also, more than 2.4 crore precaution dose had been administered to healthcare and frontline Workers and 60+ age group.

The Ministry stated that 45% of the 12-14 age group had received the first dose.

“The ongoing free vaccination programme through Government Vaccination Centres for first and second dose to the eligible population as well as precaution dose to Healthcare Workers, Frontline Workers and 60+ population would continue and would be accelerated,” it said in a release. 

In June last year, the Central government capped the prices at which vaccines are to be sold at private hospitals. With a ceiling of ₹150 that hospitals can charge a dose as ‘service charge’ and a GST of 5%, the maximum price chargeable for Covishield is ₹780, Covaxin, ₹1,410 and Sputnik V ₹1,145, the Ministry had said in an order.