Scientific Evidence Does Not Underline Need For COVID Vaccine Booster Dose: ICMR Expert

Addressing the vaccine hesitancy regarding the COVID-19 vaccines, Dr Panda said that if discussions on booster dose get started, the vaccination program may be left halfway.

Scientific Evidence Does Not Underline Need For Covid-19 Booster Dose: Expert | Representational Image (File Image)

New Delhi: While there are discussions about the need to administer COVID-19 booster shots to the healthcare workers and people with comorbidities in India, an ICMR expert stated that as per the scientific evidence shows there is no need for the same. 

Dr Samiran Panda, head of the Epidemiology and Infectious disease division at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), has said that according to the scientific evidence, there is no underline need for a booster dose in the country, reported ANI.

He said that the public health considerations are on the priority list. 

"The Ministry of Health gets guided by scientific evidence and also advised by NTAGI. These are advisory bodies and considered by the Ministry and the respective departments to develop a policy. So, policy formulation and decisions are based on scientific evidence. Right now the scientific evidence from within the country does not underline the need for a booster dose. Public health considerations are on the priority now,” said Dr Panda. 

He further said that instead of a booster dose the priority is to administer both the doses of the COVID-19 vaccines to more than 80 percent of individuals in the country. "If you ask me, the need of the hour is to attain 80 per cent coverage or more among the individuals with 2 doses of vaccine. Reaching out to over 80 per cent of eligible individuals is public health priority now," he added, as quoted by ANI. 

Addressing the vaccine hesitancy regarding the COVID-19 vaccines, Dr Panda said that if discussions on booster dose get started, the vaccination program may be left halfway.

"Discussing the booster dose doesn't make sense because there are people who are, you know, in hesitation to come forward for the second day thinking that. So, if we discuss the booster to return to we are actually leaving the programme halfway,” added Dr Panda. 

The government is right now focusing on fully vaccinating all the people in the country under the ‘Har Ghar Dastak’ program.