Plan to vaccinate over 440 million children ready: Covid panel chief

With the emergence of a new coronavirus variant of concern — Omicron — Covid-19 task force Chairman N K Arora on Monday said a comprehensive policy on a booster dose and additional doses will be announced in two weeks. 

He said a plan has also been developed to vaccinate India’s 440-million-plus children.

“The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation is working on a comprehensive policy on a booster shot and additional doses in the next two weeks. The policy will deal with who will require the vaccine, when and how. This needs to be seen in the context of a new variant of concern. The relevance and effectiveness of the current vaccines on offer will also become apparent with time,” said Arora.

“There is a difference between a booster dose and an additional dose. A booster dose is given in a predefined period after two primary doses. An additional dose is only given to those who have problems with their immune function, even after the primary dose. If a person’s immune function is not appropriately built, you give them an additional dose,” he added.