Harish Rao writes to Union health minister, seeks precautionary dose for all above 18 years

Telangana health minister Harish Rao on Tuesday wrote a letter to the Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya seeking precautionary dose for all above 18 years of age.

He also urged the union health ministry to reduce the interval between the second dose and booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine from nine months to six months and the interval between second dose and precautionary dose for health care workers to three months.

Rao also requested Mansukh Mandaviya to include senior citizens i.e. above 60 years of age for the precautionary dose irrespective of Co morbidies.

In the letter, he stated that the above requests can enable the government to protect the population from severe morbidity and mortality associated with COVID-19 infection. He also mentioned that the requests are based on the booster dose policies being implemented in countries like the USA and UK.

It is known that the Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao held a cabinet meeting on Monday and reviewed the COVID-19 situation in the state. The CM directed the medical and health minister to take help from the officials of municipal and panchayat raj department to complete the vaccination programme in the state.

He also instructed that all the district ministers and collectors should conduct review meetings in this regard. The CM urged people not to move in groups or crowds and follow COVID-19 norms.