No plans of approving booster COVID-19 shots now: Dr VK Paul

The government has no plans to approve booster COVID-19 shots for now, Niti Aayog member (Health) Dr VK Paul has said, adding no such recommendation had been made by the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI).

“The science of the need and the timing of shots is still evolving. Different vaccines may have different schedules. It is being closely watched and studied,” the head of the country’s COVID task force told the Times of India.

The government’s focus was to first provide two vaccine doses to India’s adult population, he said. “We are watching the emerging data in this regard continuously and would be guided by the NTAGI in this regard,” he said, adding that the World Health Organization (WHO), too, had not made any recommendation on it.

Earlier, Serum Institute of India (SII) Chairman Cyrus Poonawalla said a third or booster dose of Covishield is needed six months after the second dose of the vaccine.

“After six months, the antibodies go down and that is why I have taken the third dose. We have given the third dose to our seven to eight thousand SII employees. For those who have completed the second dose, it is my request to take a booster dose (third dose) after six months,” Poonawalla said.

Israel has already approved a booster to people over 50 who were vaccinated more than five months ago.

France and Germany plan to offer boosters to some people in the fall. The European Medicines Agency, too, is reviewing data to see if booster shots are needed.

US President Joe Biden has also said that coronavirus booster shots will be available starting the week of September 20 even as a debate rages over the need for a booster shot when a large part of the world’s population remains unvaccinated. Moneycontrol