Authorize Covid Vaccine Boosters for Healthcare workers immediately

Apparently, there's a terrible policy paralysis in the Govt about vaccine booster shot policy. Reasons unknown. Its understandable that there is scarcity of vaccines and we haven't fully vaccinated adult population. But this is no reason to delay booster shots policy to healthcare workers, employed in high risk working environment in Hospitals, health centers, clinics, labs etc. India's vaccination program started in January and many of the healthcare workers are past 6 months of their second vaccine shot.

Central Govt should immediately issue notification (do it tonight like Demonetization) that healthcare workers, Doctors, Nurses etc and other hospital staff (ward persons, guards etc) employed in high risk healthcare environment will get booster shots starting from tomorrow. Time period of booster shot gap can be consulted with experts (6 months ok?).

If central Govt is sleeping, then state Govt should issue their own notification and start booster shots program in their jurisdictional areas of healthcare in their states.

Healthcare workers should get their booster shots and be better protected from risk of Omicron wave.

COWIN doesn't have provision to register 3rd booster shot. But this is not a problem. State & central can create a temporary record system (central or localized) of vaccination details outside COWIN. Later you can amend the COWIN portal and incorporate all the temporary data. No reason to be beholden to an app to jeopardize the urgency of vaccine policy.



Edit - There is no scarcity of vaccines and broad based booster shot program can be started. Explained this in latest article. I don't know why Govt is delaying broad scale booster shot program.


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