No specific recommendation regarding COVID vaccine booster dose

No specific recommendation regarding the Covid vaccine booster dose has been made by the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization or the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19, Rajya Sabha was told on Tuesday.

There are, at present, no recommendations on booster dose from the World Health Organization as well, Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar said in a written reply.

In response to a question on whether the government has taken note of the fact that many countries are adopting an approach of vaccine booster shots to ensure protection against Covid and its various strains, she said there are some media reports of some countries considering a booster. “The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) and National Expert Group on vaccine administration for Covid (NEGVAC) are deliberating and considering scientific evidences related to dose schedule of COVID-19 vaccines,” Pawar said. “So far, no specific recommendation regarding COVID-19 vaccine booster dose has been made by NTAGI or NEGVAC. There are, at present no recommendation on booster dose from the World Health Organization,” she said.

On whether there is a need to take a booster dose after a certain period of time, Pawar said COVID-19 vaccines have been developed very recently, therefore, scientific evidence is still evolving globally regarding duration of protection. News18