• Friday, March 29, 2024

Coronavirus

India lacks sufficient data to decide on Covid booster dose: Experts

A health worker injects a woman with a dose of the Covid-19 coronavirus vaccine in Mumbai on August 23, 2021. (Photo by INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP via Getty Images)

By: Shubham Ghosh

WHILE speculation is rife that India could see the implementation of the Covid-19 booster dose, experts have said that not enough data is there to decide on the need for the same even as apprehensions rise over the possibility of a third wave of the pandemic hitting the country between September and October.

An expert panel set up by India’s ministry of home affairs has predicted that the third wave can hit the country between September and October and suggested ramping up the vaccination pace significantly.

The World Health Organisation, meanwhile, has sought a two-month halt on administering booster shots of Covid-19 vaccines due to constrained availability of vaccines around the globe.

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“India will decide on booster dose based on scientific evidence generated locally. Studies are already underway to determine the need and timing of booster for currently used vaccines in the country,” Dr N K Arora, chairman of the Covid-19 working group of NTAGI (National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation), said.

“Any booster dose regime has also to ensure that adverse events are not associated with boosting,” he added.

‘Covid booster dose will be recommended in India for sure’

Randeep Guleria, director of Delhi-based All India Institute of Medical Sciences, said there is no definite evidence to suggest presently that there is a need to give booster shots to those who have been vaccinated in the past.

“Current data suggests that the vaccines are effective in preventing severe disease and death in those who have been vaccinated, even against the Delta variant. Also, we should vaccinate those who have not even received a single dose and are in the high-risk category first so as to prevent severe disease and death in the upcoming wave. Currently, booster shots are not required and as more data emerges it will then be clear when and what type of booster shot is required,” he said.

A number of countries, including the US and Israel, are planning to offer booster doses of Covid-19 vaccines.

The National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) has discussed the issue of giving booster vaccine dose and it is being looked into very deeply, Dr V K Paul, member (health) of the Indian government’s public-policy think-tank NITI Aayog, had said earlier this month.

He said it must be taken as a work in progress as science is still emerging in this area.   Responding to a question on the need for giving booster Covid-19 vaccine dose, Paul had said, “I would say we are watching the science for the need for such an imperative very carefully. Global work as well as you may know that certain studies in the country are being instituted and we are looking at it very deeply.”

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