Discussions begin in govt panel on 2nd booster dose

The move comes even as the government is pushing to increase coverage of the first booster shot, currently languishing at 28% (of the eligible population).

India’s expert panel on immunisation is considering the merits of a second booster dose of Covid-19 vaccines against the backdrop of a rising wave of infections around the world, even though there has been no surge in the country.

A healthcare worker inoculates a man with a booster dose of Covid-19 vaccine, in Srinagar on Tuesday. (ANI)

The move comes even as the government is pushing to increase coverage of the first booster shot, currently languishing at 28% (of the eligible population). India started administering boosters in January 2022, which means the first recipients received their latest Covid-19 vaccine dose a year ago.

“Discussions have started on the matter of opening second booster among members of the technical group. There is a section that is keen on allowing another booster dose,” an expert on one of the committees of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation or NTAGI said on condition of anonymity. “They will be minutely going through all the scientific data before making any recommendations.”

Studies have shown that immunity gained from a vaccine shot typically wanes in four to six months. They have also shown that a fourth shot does help stave off severe illness, although experts are now recommending bivalent shots (which have been tweaked to act on more recent variants of the virus) as a fourth booster. To be sure, there is no bivalent version of Covishield, the vaccine most Indians have been administered, in the works.

There have been requests from some doctors on opening up the fourth dose, at least for people in the high-risk cohorts such as health care workers, the elderly and those suffering from comorbidities. Representatives of the Indian Medical Association asked Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya to allow the additional dose at a meeting on December 26.

The third dose for health care and frontline workers were administered nearly a year ago. “We have urged the minister to consider a fourth precautionary dose for people, especially doctors, nurses, other hospital staff and frontline workers who have to manage patients and are at higher risk,” said Dr JA Jayalal, former president of the association, who was present at the meeting.

The Union government’s focus remains on extending the third dose coverage that is at a dismal 27-28% of the eligible population, latest official data show.

“Although technical discussions are on, the Union government is not considering an additional booster dose at the moment,” a central government official said, asking not to be named. “The focus should be on ensuring those who are yet to take their precautionary, or the third dose, take the shot.”

The Centre opened up the third dose of Covid-19 vaccine for health care and frontline workers, and people aged 60 and above with comorbidities on advice of their doctor from January 10 last year. It was opened to all adults from April 10.

The government undertook several measures to encourage people to take the third dose. In July, the health ministry launched a campaign under which the third booster dose was provided free for 75 days at government clinics, commemorating 75 years of India’s Independence.

The central government has urged the states to increase coverage of the booster dose, and said there is enough inventory to keep pace in any increase in the rate of vaccination, officials said. The central government will be supplying 8.1 million Covishield doses to the states, which already have 7.5 million Covaxin doses with them, the officials added.