E-Paper
Niti Aayog’s VK Paul says call on booster will be based on scientific decisions
The government has asked citizens to ensure that they do not miss out or delay the second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.
Niti Aayog member (health) Dr VK Paul on Wednesday said that India will take a decision on the requirement, timing and nature of booster Covid-19 vaccines depending on scientific evidence. “The health minister has said in Parliament that the need, timing and nature of boosting will be based on scientific decisions and thinking that is what the government is engaged with,” Paul was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. c, he said.
He said that the government is making coordinated efforts to make sure that medical oxygen is available as and when required. “The country has ramped up oxygen production and availability. A lot of efforts have been made across the country including provisioning more than 1,500 PSA plants. Most of them are now functional. In order to improve coordination and facilitation, a comprehensive data system Oxycare has been launched. Things are being monitored regularly. We are prepared for any eventuality,” Paul said.
The government has asked citizens to ensure that they do not miss out or delay the second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. India vaccinated at least 87% of its eligible population with at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, while 51% of the population have been fully vaccinated with both doses. The government also urged state governments and governments of Union Territories to utilise the remaining vaccine stocks and vaccinate the unvaccinated.
Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan also warned states and Union Territories on Tuesday saying that the Omicron variant is three times more transmissible than the Delta variant. The Omicron variant, which has been categorised as a ‘variant of concern’, by the World Health Organization, is the primary strain causing infections in most European countries and also leading to stricter regulations in those regions.
The variant, first discovered in South Africa and its neighbouring countries, has infected more than 200 people in the country. The government also ramped up genomic sequencing to check if Omicron is the driving force behind new cases or if it is leading to a surge.
