As Experts Continue To Disagree On Booster Dose, India Will Soon Have A Policy On 3rd COVID Jab
Is it necessary or not, and if it is, who should get it and when -- these are the questions scientists and policymakers not just in India, but around the world have been debating for months now.
While the World Health Organization (WHO) has said that a booster dose should not be the priority right now as a large section of the world's population is yet to receive even a single shot, many countries have gone ahead and opened up optional third jabs for its people.
In India too, with the fear of a third wave still persistent, there have been a lot of talks about booster shots.
Dr NK Arora, co-chair of INSACOG, a 28-lab consortium set up to monitor genomic variations in SARS-CoV-2, India has been working on the policy document for the past three weeks and firming it up. It will be made public soon,¡± Arora said.
No booster shot decision yet
He also urged people not to take a booster dose right now as it won¡¯t be considered for any certification.
¡°We are manufacturing 30-35 crore doses every month. We don¡¯t have any shortage of vaccines, but that doesn¡¯t mean you administer them without reason. There is a lot of scientific thought going into the document,¡± Arora told The Times of India.
Earlier, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya had also expressed similar views and said that adequate vaccine stocks are available and the aim is to complete the vaccination of the target population with two doses. After that, a decision on booster dose would be taken based on expert recommendation, Mandaviya said.
"The government cannot take a direct decision in such a matter. When the Indian Council of Medical Research and expert team will say that a booster dose should be given, we will consider it then," he said, adding Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always depended on expert opinion, be it vaccine research, manufacturing or approval.
On Thursday, Chairman and Managing Director of Bharat Biotech, Dr Krishna Ella had said that people will need booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine if the COVID-19 virus gets mutated.
"If there is a mutated COVID-19 virus and a booster is required. What type of booster would be needed and how do we deliver it on a fast track basis. On that, we are working on various strategies that can be contained. Even if something comes up; we know how to handle situations," he told ANI.
Experts divided
Experts are still divided on when and who should be given the booster shot in India.
Some are of the opinion that vulnerable people including those with comorbidities and healthcare workers who are at a high risk of reinfection should be given the booster shot.
Others, however, feel that it is unethical for India to roll out booster doses right now as only 35 per cent of the country's population is fully vaccinated and there are millions who have not even received a single jab.
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