Dec 26,2021:India will start administering COVID-19 booster shots as a precautionary measure to healthcare and other front-line workers from January 10, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said, as cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant rise across the country.
In a TV address to the nation on Saturday night, Modi also said those above 60 years of age with comorbidities would be offered booster shots after a recommendation from doctors.
He added that those aged 15-18 would start receiving COVID-19 vaccinations from January 3.
“From the point of view of precaution, the government has decided that healthcare and front-line workers should start getting a precaution dose,” Modi said.
Modi said 1.8 million isolation beds, 500,000 oxygen-supported beds and 400,000 oxygen tanks were available in the country, among other hospital-related resources, as fears of another pandemic wave triggered by the Omicron variant grew.
India has reported a swift rise in Omicron cases, with the number reaching 415 overall across 17 Indian states.
