There is not enough data to prove the efficacy of the booster shots, so at this stage, India’s focus is on ensuring full vaccination of the country’s adult population, said the head of Covid task force, Dr VK Paul.
Dr Paul told CNN-News18 that India is not yet deliberating on the need to recommend a booster shot of Covid-19 vaccines as it’s still an “evolving science”. “Not many countries have gone for a booster dose. Even the advisory from the US agencies is a mixed advisory. There is no clear-cut evidence-based global recommendation for the booster dose,” he said.
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Dr Paul, who has been playing a key role in the government’s efforts in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, further said that while mRNA vaccines have shown a “reduction in efficacy” six months into administering the jab, it may not be applicable to other vaccines.
“Let me elaborate what I mean, we are using multiple vaccines. The information coming on mRNA vaccine is that it may reduce efficacy in six months, but that may not apply on other vaccines. We don’t have enough data about the timing of the so-called booster dose or specific reasons for specific vaccines per se. It’s an evolving science,” he said.
“Optimum time for the booster is yet to be answered. This is in the grey zone of science, so let it evolve. Today, the priority is that those who are eligible adults must get themselves vaccinated,” Dr Paul, , who is also a Niti Aayog member, said.
Earlier on Thursday, Dr Paul said that India’s 100 crore vaccination-mark was a remarkable feat and had been achieved through the vaccines manufactured in the country. Paul further said this was an unusual feat and had been achieved in the short period of just nine months of the vaccination programme.
“Today, India has achieved a landmark milestone. One hundred crore doses, 1 billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines have been administered in our nation,” he told PTI. “What is even more remarkable is that this has been achieved through the vaccines which have been manufactured in India,” he added.
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) hasn’t approved a booster dose in India. Experts there feel there is no necessity of a booster dose as yet since enough study is not done on the subject.
Dr Gagandeep Kang, noted virologist and microbiologist, had backed this decision stating whether people will develop more antibodies with booster dose is yet unknown. Hence, India need not go for a booster dose at present. Senior doctors in the Technical Advisory Committee for management of COVID-19 in Karnataka opined that a booster dose be given to health care workers and frontline warriors if not everyone.
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