Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, the Union health minister, said on Monday that the central government is committed to providing ‘extra security cover’ to frontline workers and health care workers as India began administering ‘precautionary doses’ of Covid-19 vaccines to those with comorbidities, as well as older citizens.

“The programme to administer precautionary dose to health care and frontline personnel, as well as citizens in the age group of 60 and above, is commencing today. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Centre is committed to provide, on priority, an extra layer of security to our health care and frontline workers,” a rough translation of Mandaviya’s tweet, from Hindi to English, read.

In his address to the nation on December 25 last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a drive to administer ‘precautionary’ or booster shots to the said people. Announcing the launch date of the exercise in an unscheduled address, PM Modi also confirmed it will begin on January 10.

Last week, Dr VK Paul. Niti Aayog member (health) clarified that the extra or third dose will be of the same jab with which a beneficiary was inoculated the first two times.

Providing further convenience, the Union health ministry also said that those who intend to take their precautionary dose need not register separately for it. Instead, the ministry said, people can schedule their appointments through the CoWin app and, once scheduled, can simply go to the centre and get vaccinated for a third time.

The facility to schedule appointment for boosters opened last Saturday.