3.5 cr to get Covid booster dose in 45 days: Minister Vidadala Rajani

Vijayawada: Minister for health Vidadala Rajani said as per the directions of the Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, a target was set to administer Covid booster dose to 3.5 crore people in 45 days.

Speaking to media persons at state medical and health department office at Mangalagiri on Friday, the minister said the booster dose vaccination programme was started on Friday to vaccinate all those between the 18 to 59 years of age. She said the Central government directed to vaccinate the people within the age group of 18-59 within 75 days under the 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav' programme. She said with the help of the village and ward secretariats, the booster dose programme will be completed within 45 days in AP.

The minister said the booster dose will be available in all primary health centres, village and ward secretariats, railway stations, colleges, schools, bus stations and industrial areas. She informed a total of 4.35 crore had been administered two doses of vaccination and 36 lakh people above the age of 60 years had availed the booster dose.

She said the booster dose will be administered free of cost at all available centres adding that so far 8.54 crore Covid vaccine doses were administered to people, of which 7.66 lakh people got vaccinated in private hospitals.