As Covid Third Wave Nears End, Government Deliberates on Boosters for All

As the third wave of the Covid pandemic nears its end in India, top scientists in the government are deliberating over the need for vaccine boosters for all in this situation, sources told CNN-News18.

India has seen a widespread outbreak of the fast-spreading Omicron variant of the coronavirus over the past few weeks and its data is being analysed by top experts to examine the requirement of a booster or a third dose of vaccines, added the government sources.

The deliberations by the expert group are likely to influence the government’s vaccine policy decision on the expansion of booster shots for all age groups in the country.

The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) has important meetings lined up in the next few weeks and is likely to make a decision next month, said sources.

The decision of rolling out precautionary doses for healthcare workers, frontline workers and people over the age of 60 with comorbidities was announced by the Prime Minister just before the Omicron-led third wave hit India. The administration of it began on January 10 this year when cases were peaking.

In a recent letter to states to ease out or even do away with restrictions that were put in place to deal with the pandemic, the union health ministry has indicated the waning of the third wave.

At this stage, over 97% of India’s adult population has received one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine while almost 80% are fully immunised.

Over 70% of adolescents in the age group of 15-17 years have got one dose and 25% have received two doses.

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