NTAGI meeting: No final recommendation on additional vaccine dose, vaccine for children in the meeting

COVID-19: After a long meeting on Monday amid the rising Omicron cases, National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI), government’s top vaccine advisory failed to arrive at any conclusion on a booster dose requirement or vaccination for children.

The government’s top vaccine advisory gathered a meeting to decide whether an additional dose should be given to immunocompromised , or those who are more exposed to the risk of catching covid. According to the reports, no final call was taken at the end of the meeting. The group is yet to come up with a vaccination policy for children. This is the only group left to be inoculated so far.

The meeting discussed booster shots, covid vaccination, additional vaccine, vaccine for children but final recommendation is yet to arrive an official was quoted as saying to news agency ANI. Reports suggest that NTAGI will soon come up with comprehensive policies for both booster shots and children vaccination.

Booster dose and additional dose

The panel also highlighted the thin line between the two does saying the booster shot is given after a person has been jabbed with primary two-dose given that too after a defined time period and not before that. On the other hand, additional doses are given to those with weakened immune systems. It is stated that an additional dose of covid-19 will be given if the immune system is not built properly even after two vaccine doses. This decision has also been taken given the alarming rate in which the omicron cases are rising in the country.

No booster dose as for now!

The government has so far held off the booster doses for everyone. Mansukh Mandaviya, Health Minister had recently told Parliament that NTAGI and the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) are looking for more scientific evidence before giving a green signal to booster doses.

The minister also informed the other day in Lok Sabha India will have two indigenous Covid-19 vaccines in the coming days and that the third phase trial result for the new vaccine has been submitted hoping it would be successful.

Covishield as a booster shot?

Serum Institute of India had recently approached the government for the approval of Covishield as a booster dose in India. Adar Poonawalla, chief, Serum Institute of India, while speaking to NDTV, said that a version of covishield can be made for the new covid variant Omicron. He also informed that tests are on for the Omicron variant and a final call will soon be taken in this regard.