The third dose of the Covid-19 vaccine will be administered to those with comorbidities and the senior citizens as per the advice from the doctors starting from January 10. Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called it the precautionary dose. In other countries it is called the booster dose.
In India, for now, the third dose will only be available for frontline workers, healthcare workers, people with comorbidities and those above the age of 60 years. However, a third dose has been made optional for the elderly.
It is, however, not yet clear where the booster or precautionary dose will be a different vaccine or the same as the earlier two doses.
The attention of all the countries including the United States and European Union nations is on the booster dose in the new year. In most of the countries a vaccine different from the initial two doses is being given to individuals. Experts in India are also discussing when to give this dose and whether it will be a mixed jab.
Amid the increasing cases of Omicron the Centre has made a plan to give one more vaccine on precautionary basis. Going by the experts, the booster or precautionary dose will be of a different vaccine in India. For example if one has taken the first two doses of Covaxin then they will have to take Covishield for the third dose and vice versa. However some experts believe that the third dose should also be of the same vaccine as the first two.
As per the Union Health Ministry sources, extensive discussion has been done about the third dose of the vaccine. Dr Balram Bhargava, the director general of Indian Council of Medical Research said that the Central government will issue a clear recommendation in this regard by January 10.
Some experts also believe that we should not follow the United States while deciding about the booster dose. We should rather focus on the second dose of vaccination. Booster dose can hamper the collective immunisation program, according to experts.
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