Covid-19: No scientific evidence to support need for booster dose: ICMR chief
Covid-19: ICMR Director General Dr Balram Bhargava on Monday stressed the need to complete the second dose for India’s adult population on priority.
ICMR chief Dr Balram Bhargava said there was no scientific evidence so far to support the need for a booster vaccine dose against Covid-19.
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According to sources, the booster dose issue is likely to be discussed at the next meeting of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation in India (NTAGI). “Administering the second dose of Covid-19 vaccine to all adult population and ensuring that not only India, but the entire world gets vaccinated is the priority of the government for now," he said.
On the probability of administering a booster dose to prevent Covid-19, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya recently said adequate stocks were available and the aim was 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.
According to available data, 82 per cent of the eligible population in India has received the first dose of the Covid vaccine while around 43 per cent have been fully inoculated.
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The total number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has exceeded 116.87 crore.
The Central Government has launched a month-long ‘Har Ghar Dastak’ campaign for house-to-house Covid-19 vaccination of those who are yet to take a dose and for people whose second dose is overdue. According to information, over 12 crore beneficiaries are overdue for their second dose of Covid-19 vaccine after the expiry of the prescribed interval between the two doses.
-PTC News with agency inputs
