COVID-19 booster dosages may be approved for all adults

New Delhi: In response to an increase in infections in some countries and to make overseas travel easier, India is contemplating making all individuals eligible for Covid-19 booster doses. At India, only healthcare and frontline employees, as well as individuals over the age of 60, are now permitted to get booster doses, which are available for free in government centres or at a cost in private facilities.

Many MPs in Parliament have urged for booster shots to be made available to all people as soon as possible, and the Centre is considering whether the third dosage should be free. The Union’s health ministry recently encouraged states and territories to beef up surveillance for the illness, noting a rise in Asia and Europe. Cases have recently increased in countries such as China and Italy.

In India, Covid-19 instances have dropped to their lowest level in over a year. In the previous 24 hours, the country recorded 1,549 new Covid-19 cases, falling short of the 2,000 milestone for the second day in a row, and 31 fatalities. During the pandemic, the overall number of Covid-19 cases and fatalities has risen to 4,30,09,390 and 5,16,510, respectively.

Active cases are for 0.06 percent of all infections, with a countrywide Covid-19 recovery rate of 98.74 percent. The positive rate is 0.40 percent on a daily and weekly basis.

India’s adult population received around 181.24 crore doses of the Covid-19 vaccination. On January 16, 2021, the countrywide immunisation campaign began, with healthcare professionals receiving vaccinations first, followed by frontline workers a few weeks later. The second round of vaccines began on March 1st of last year for persons aged 60 and above with specific co-morbidities, as well as those aged 45 and up. Vaccination for everyone above the age of 45 begins on April 1, 2021. From May 1, 2021, everyone above the age of 18 will be able to be vaccinated.

The next wave of Covid vaccines for teenagers aged 15 to 18 years old began on January 3 this year. A week later, healthcare and frontline workers, as well as individuals over 60 with co-morbidities, were authorised to get “precaution doses” of immunizations.

After the health ministry abolished the co-morbidity requirement, all adults over the age of 60 are now eligible for prophylactic dosages. The dose is prioritised and sequenced depending on the completion of nine months, or 39 weeks, from the second dose’s administration date.

Covid-19 immunizations for youngsters aged 12 to 14 years old began on March 16 of this year. This was done a few weeks after schools in numerous states reopened. On Monday, the Delhi high court ordered the Centre to provide a progress report on the Covid-19 immunisation for children under the age of 12. The status report must be filed within three weeks, according to a bench consisting of Acting Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Navin Chawla, who set the subject for hearing on May 12.