COVID vaccine booster shot: How to book precautionary dose of Covishield, Covaxin online, eligibility, gap, cost, and more

With the renews COVID scare in India, the government has appealed citizens to take the 3rd dose of vaccination.

• By Ramneek Singh -
Published On: December 22, 2022

COVID vaccine booster/ precautionary shots are now available in the nearest vaccination centre. Amidst the renewed COVID scare, the government has asked senior citizens to get the booster shot as soon as possible. "Appeal to senior citizens to take the precautionary dose," said Dr VK Paul, member, Health, Niti Aayog today after the meeting. The precautionary/ booster dose of Covishield and Covaxin are being administered in the country since April. All adults above the age of 18 years are eligbile for the third vaccine dose. Here's everything you need to know about the COVID vaccine booster dose, including its price and eligibility:

COVID vaccine booster dose eligibility

All individuals above 18 years are eligible for a booster shot in India. However, there needs to be a gap of nine months between the second dose of Covishield or Covaxin and the Covid vaccine booster dose. The booster dose aka precautionary dose will be the same as the Covid vaccine used for the first two doses.

COVID vaccine booster shot price, availability

The COVID vaccine booster dose is available free of cost on government vaccination centres. Senior citizens, as well as beneficiaries aged between 18 and 60 years are available, can walk-in to the centre or book the slot via the COWin website online to get the booster short. 

How to book COVID vaccine booster dose online

No fresh registration is needed for precaution dose as all due beneficiaries are already registered on CoWIN. Simply login with your registered mobile number to book your vaccine dose online. 

Book slot for 3rd dose of COVID vaccine on mobile

There are two methods to book a vaccination slot from a mobile phone. One through a browser and another through the government's official WhatsApp chatbot. You can book the precautionary dose on a mobile browser by following the below-mentioned steps.

Via CoWIN portal

• From your mobile browser visit cowin.gov.in
• On the top right corner select ‘Register / Sign in'
• Now enter your phone number to get an OTP
• After filling in the received OTP, you'll be logged in to your COWIN dashboard
• On this dashboard, if you're eligible for the precautionary dose aka 3rd dose you'll be able to book the vaccination slot
• Simply enter your pin code and check the available slots
• Select your preferred timing and place
• Download the appointment slip and you're done
  

via WhatsApp

And here's how you can book the 3rd COVID dose through WhatsApp.

• Add 9013151515 to your contact list or simply go to wa.me/919013151515 to directly open the chat on WhatsApp
• Type ‘Book slot' in the chatbox and send it 
• You'll receive an OTP via SMS for verification. Enter it.
• Now follow the steps as it'll ask your preferred date and location of vaccination, pin code, and vaccine type
• Once done, you'll get a confirmation regarding the appointment

Book slot for 3rd dose of COVID vaccine on computer

You can book the precautionary dose on a computer by following the below-mentioned steps.

• Visit cowin.gov.in on your computer/PC
• On the top right, you'll find the option of ‘Register / Sign in'. Click on it.
• Now enter your phone number to get an OTP
• After filling in the received OTP, you'll be logged in to your COWIN dashboard
• On this dashboard, if you're eligible for the 3rd dose you'll be able to book the vaccination slot for Covaxin or Covishield
• Simply enter your pin code and check the available slots
• Select your preferred timing and place
• Download the appointment slip and you're done

FAQs

Here are some answers to some of the commonly asked queries related to the 3rd dose vaccine.

Are COVID vaccines 3rd dose or booster shot free?

The price of the booster shot depends upon the vaccination centre you visit. If it's a government-assigned location like government schools and hospitals, the vaccine doses are free of cost. On the other hand, private hospitals charge a fixed amount according to the vaccine i.e. Covaxin and Covishield.

What is the cost of COVID vaccine 3rd dose in private hospitals?

The prices of 3rd dose of COVID vaccine remain the same as the previous two doses i.e. Covaxin at Rs 1,200 per dose and Covishield at Rs 780 per dose in private hospitals.

Will there be a 4th COVID vaccine dose?

The government hasn't made any announcement regarding the 4th COVID vaccine dose at the moment.