No reduction in time gap for administering COVID ‘precaution dose’ by Govt: Sources

According to official sources, the government of India has not lowered the time span for delivering a “precaution dosage” of COVID-19 vaccination from nine months to six months. According to certain media reports, the National Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) meeting conducted on Friday was supposed to discuss lowering the interval for booster doses. However, sources told ANI on the condition of anonymity that no discussion took place during the NTAGI meeting.

Experts are divided on whether the space between booster doses should be reduced in India. According to official statistics, fewer individuals are interested in receiving a third dosage as a precaution dose, despite the fact that it is permitted by the government of India for those aged 18 and above.

The larger the interval between the main vaccine and the third dosage against COVID-19 infection, the higher the individual’s immunity, according to Dr. Rajeev Jayadevan, co-chairman of the Indian Medical Association’s (IMA) COVID-19 national task group.

He stated, “We discovered that if the beneficiary’s second dose was delivered recently, it had no effect. In other words, you’re already safeguarded. However, if a third dosage is given, it does not make much of a difference.

We did, however, notice people’s immunity who waited a lengthy time, perhaps six months or longer, following the second dosage. We discovered that adding a third dosage made a difference.

On April 10, 2022, the administration of the precaution dose to the 18+ population commenced through private Vaccination Centres. Precaution Dosage would be available to anybody over the age of 18 who has completed 9 months since the delivery of the second dose.

According to government data, around 96% of the country’s 15+ population has gotten at least one COVID-19 vaccination dosage, with approximately 83% receiving both doses.