PM Modi has announced the third ‘vaccination shots’ and the first ‘precautionary’ shots to be administered from January 10 in the wake of Omicron’s spread. The variant has been spreading rapidly all over the world and in India too. People who got their second dose nine months ago will be eligible for the third dose. This decision to keep the interval for 9 months has been taken based on the reports of five scientific studies done by the ICMR ( Indian Council of Medical Research) and the THSTI ( Translational Health Science and Technology Institute) located at Faridabad. These were the top government sources that were part of the deliberations.
The booster shots will be received initially by people older than 60 years with associated comorbidities and those who their last dose nine months ago. This means that those who got the second dose of the vaccine by April 10 this year, which were mainly the frontline workers and the healthcare workers will be given the vaccine from January 2022. The Health Ministry data has stated that India has administered both doses to 1.11 crore people across the country. It also reported that vaccination of people who are above 60 years of age and 45-plus with specified co-morbid conditions started from March 1.
A government official said that the Co-Win platform will notify people who will be eligible for the third dose and an announcement regarding the same will be made in the next few days.
There is a distinction made between the “booster” shots which are currently being given in the United Kingdom and the United States. PM Modi in his address to the nation refrained from using the word “booster” and instead called these shots “precautionary”. The priority groups for these shots will be Healthcare workers, Frontline workers, and people above the age of 60 years with associated comorbidities.
The vaccines which have been administered are not sufficient to produce the number of antibodies required in individuals who have been immune-compromised and immune-suppressed. Thus the primary vaccination is deemed to be ineffective and incomplete against the deadly virus that has taken over the world yet again.
The vaccination drive for children in the age group of 15-18 years will begin from January 3 to reduce the worry of constant exposure of these children who have to go to schools regularly. But this decision has not been taken well by some of the doctors. One of them has gone so far as to call it, “unscientific”. Talking about the vaccination, Dr. Sanjay K Rai said that the vaccines so far have not been able to make much difference to the infections. And that there are some people who are getting infected even after being administered the “booster” shots. Vaccines are only helpful in preventing deaths and the severity of the virus but not the virus itself. He stated that the severity of the infection is very low as of now in children and keeping in mind the adverse effects the risks outweigh the benefits. And therefore, this decision should be reconsidered keeping in mind the data available to us.
