The Directorate of Public Health (DPH) and Preventive Medicine has instructed all deputy directors of health services (DDHS) to deactivate any private COVID-19 vaccination centre (PCVC) that violates Government of India norms or charges in excess of the prescribed fee for administering the precaution dose of the COVID-19 vaccine for persons aged 18-59 from April 10.
They should deactivate the respective PCVC after getting the approval from the Joint Director (Immunisation) and inform the District Collector. In a circular issued, the DPH told the DDHS to instruct all PCVCs functioning under their jurisdiction to strictly follow the Government of India norms for administration of precaution dose for persons aged 18-59.
Those who have completed nine months from the date of administration of the second dose were eligible for the precaution dose. This would be homologous (same vaccine type that was used for first and second dose). PCVCs can charge up to a maximum of ₹150 per dose as service charge over and above the cost of vaccine. Recording all vaccinations on Co-WIN was mandatory. Both online appointments and walk-in appointments were available.
Healthcare workers, frontline workers and citizens aged 60 years and above can continue to receive the precaution dose at any centre, including free of charge vaccination at government centres. For those in the age group 18-59, booking of appointments and on-spot scheduling for precaution dose was enabled for PCVCs only now. It was not necessary for fresh registrations for the administration of the dose.
The verifier/vaccinator must locate the existing vaccination record and verify the identity document. Those eligible can book appointments at PCVCs. They would be able to view only PCVCs for booking an appointment. They can avail walk-in vaccination. The Co-WIN system would send an SMS to all those who are eligible for the precaution dose.
PCVCs must declare the price per dose chargeable by them on Co-WIN in accordance with those declared by the manufacturers and the Union Health Ministry with respect to service charges. DDHS should ensure that PCVCs declare the cost of vaccination, including service charges of ₹150 per dose, in the public domain.
The ongoing free vaccination programme through government centres for first dose and second dose for the eligible population and precaution dose for healthcare and frontline workers and above 60 years population would continue and would be accelerated, the DPH said.
