The process to provide precautionary third dose of Covid-19 vaccine to frontline workers and immunity-compromised 60-plus population began in Bengal on Monday. Health department sources said around 35,000 people were administered the booster dose in the state on the first day.

According to an estimate of the Union health ministry, around 5.75 crore citizens in the country are at present eligible for the booster dose. At least one crore beneficiaries are healthcare workers and two crore are frontline workers. The booster dose was announced by the Centre because of a spike in positive cases triggered by the omicron variant.

“According to the guidelines issued by the Union health ministry, senior citizens above 60 years with comorbidities will be administered the precautionary dose on the advice of doctors after necessary medical checkups,” a senior official of the state health directorate said.