New Delhi: As per the press release by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, COVID booster shots for the 18+ age group shall be administered from April 10th onwards at private vaccination centres.

The administration of Precaution Dose to 18+ population through Private Vaccination Centres would start from 10th April (Sunday), 2022. All those who are more than 18 years of age & have completed 9 months after the administration of second dose, would be eligible for Precaution Dose. This facility would be available in all Private Vaccination Centres.- the press release read.

So far around 95 per cent of eligible children around 15+ years have recovered at least one dose of the vaccine while 83 per cent have been fully shielded.

As per the latest statistics with the ministry, more than 2.4 core precautionary doses have been administered to eligible HCWs, FLWs and adults above 60 years of age. Under the 12+ vaccination drive, more than 45 per cent have been shielded the ministry data indicated.

India started the Booster program in booster shots from January 10 2022 for health and frontline workers and those over 60 with comorbidities or other health problems. Among healthcare and frontline workers and those aged 60 and above with comorbidities, prioritisation and sequencing would be based on completion of nine months or 39 weeks from the date of the second dose as of January 10, the government said in its guidelines.