09 December,2021 08:25 AM IST | Mumbai | A Correspondent
Those still unvaccinated or those who need the second dose are currently being vaccinated, as seen here at Nair Hospital on December 7. Pic/Ashish Raje
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The State COVID-19 Task Force has seconded the Indian Medical Association's (Maharashtra) demand for booster doses for healthcare and frontline workers at the earliest. The nod for the same is to be given by the Central government. The IMA has demanded booster shots for these workers on priority, as they were vaccinated almost a year ago.
DR Shashank Joshi, member of the Task Force, said there are two scientific measures for the booster dose - people working in a high viral load environment like healthcare and frontline workers, and people with moderate to severe immuno-compromised health. "Such people will need additional doses at an appropriate juncture. The present government policy is to ensure non-vaccinated people get vaccinated. We should now start a booster dose programme for healthcare and frontline workers who got vaccinated in January this year," he said.
With ambiguity from the government, IMA - the umbrella body for all modern medicine practitioners in India - had decided to speak about the policy on the booster dose amid the emergence of the Omicron variant. While the government has been tight-lipped on its plan for the booster dose, IMA has demanded booster shots for health care workers on priority, as they were vaccinated almost a year ago.
"All the healthcare workers and those working on the frontline during the COVID-19 pandemic should be given booster doses of the vaccines immediately to enhance their immunity amidst the omicron outbreak," said Dr Suhas Pingle, president, IMA (Maharashtra).
Citing the example of other countries, Dr Mangesh Pate, secretary, IMA (Maharashtra) said many countries have already approved and implemented the booster shots. "The doctors, healthcare workers, frontline workers in India got their vaccinations in January this year. We all know the threat of the new omicron variant. We should not lag behind in safeguarding our doctors and healthcare workers," he said.
The IMA said while the disease severity of the omicron variant is not known yet, it is said to be more transmissible than the delta variant. "The new variant, omicron, with higher transmissibility may attack with a huge surge in cases," said Dr Pate.
