Will India Start Vaccine Booster Dose?
India is still unsure about recommending booster shots. For more details, check out our latest video.
India started its vaccination drive against the Covid-19 on 16th January 2021. As of 30 November 2021, India has administered over 1.24 billion doses overall, including first and second doses of the vaccine. With the emergency of the new Omicron variant, many countries are thinking of booster doses of the covid-19 vaccines. Dr. Samiran Panda, Head, Epidemiology and Communicable Diseases, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said, “Vaccines are not known to prevent COVID-19 but reduces the severity. We have to understand this. Currently the focus is to ensure at least 80% coverage in the eligible adult population which is vital.” He added, “The need for a booster or additional COVID-19 vaccine dose or reduction in time gap between two doses of the available vaccines are being examined. There is no immediate recommendation to introduce a booster or additional dose or to reduce the gap between vaccine doses.”
He said that vaccination, use of masks and avoiding mass gathering is key. Now with Omicron also in the country, we still don’t know how the virus is going to shape up. We don’t know its effect on the elderly. In the USA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director has recommended booster shot doses for Covid-19 to all adults who are 18 years and older. Canada is also planning to recommend booster shots for those people who are severely ill. Some countries such as Austria, Germany, Italy, Israel, the UK, South Korea, Turkey and Brazil are offering booster doses to all adults. Some including Sweden and Spain have targeted booster doses at certain population groups such as the elderly.
