In the wake of the rising concern for Covid-19 and its sub-variant Omicron XBB in India, the government on Tuesday said there is no need for a second dose of the booster or precautionary vaccine shot. “First we have to complete the booster drive in the country," said the government sources.
As of now no second Covid-19 booster dose is required, first we have to complete the first booster drive in the country. No discussion has been started even in the immunisation panel National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) regarding the second booster dose. Our first priority is to complete the first booster drive in the country," said a government source to ANI.
Recently, during a virtual meeting on Covid-19 situation and preparedness in the country between the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and other doctors and Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, a request was raised by some experts for a second booster dose for those who have already taken a booster dose six months ago and those with comorbidities. As per the data given by Union Health Ministry, the 220.11 crore total vaccine doses, including 95.13 crore second dose and 22.41 crore precaution dose, have been administered so far under nationwide vaccination drive. Those who have taken the booster dose of the Covid vaccine cannot take Bharat Biotech’s nasal coronavirus vaccine (iNCOVAAC), head of India’s coronavirus task force group National Testing Advisory Group (NTAGI), Dr N K Arora said recently. He mentioned that the nasal vaccine can be used as a first booster while adding the indigenously developed CoWIN platform will not accept bookings for a fourth dose.