Dial Chennai Corporation helpline to get Covid booster shots at home

Senior citizens are eligible for a precautionary booster shot if nine months or 39 weeks have passed since they took their second dose.
Senior citizens can get a booster shot 39 weeks after their second dose | Express
Senior citizens can get a booster shot 39 weeks after their second dose | Express

CHENNAI: Chennai residents above the age of 60 who are eligible for a precautionary booster dose of the Covid vaccine may get the shot at their house by calling the corporation numbers 1913, 044-2538 4520, or 044-4612 2300.

According to a corporation statement on Monday, senior citizens who are to travel or have comorbidities may also visit the corporation’s primary healthcare centres or community healthcare centres to get their booster doses.

Senior citizens are eligible for a precautionary booster shot if nine months or 39 weeks have passed since they took their second dose. Details such as name, age, comorbidities, second dose vaccination certificate, address, and phone number are needed to book an appointment.

Within hours of the corporation announcing the phone numbers for booster doses, hundreds of people sought appointments. Residents initially complained that their calls went unanswered, though the corporation resolved complaints on Twitter. When TNIE dialled the numbers, a response was received on the first try.

“I tried calling the helplines over the weekend for home vaccination, but couldn’t get through. This morning, as soon as their office opened, they called up and arrived at home within two hours to vaccinate my mother,” said Giridharan Kesavan, a city resident.

However, a few others said misregistered second-dose dates caused trouble. “My father took his second dose in June, but on CoWin it is registered as December. He is actually eligible to get the booster dose in March, but according to the date they entered, he will only be able to get it in September. There must be some relaxation in such cases,” said Balaji Thangavel, a resident of Pallikaranai.

Precautionary doses for those above 60 were rolled out a week ago, from January 10.

Details of vaccination centres are available at

http://covid19.chennaicorporation.gov.in/covid/gcc_vaccine_centre/.

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