Covid-19: Centre to rethink precaution dose policy

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The Centre is mulling over the relevance of the precaution dose which is currently being administered to the frontline and healthcare workers along with 60 plus population as some experts are sceptical about the benefits of the third dose.

The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) for Covid-19 held a high level meeting with NITI Aayog on January 26. A source said that the NTAGI group is sceptical about the benefits of the third dose being administered.

"The NTAGI presented some research papers on third dose administered in several countries which has not helped in curbing infection, to the NITI Aayog in the meeting", a source told IANS.

Some cases of getting infected even after third dose have also been reported in India. The source said that the experts from NTAGI have assessed the data from the countries where booster doses have been administered. It has also studied the impacts of third dose against the infection.

The NTAGI is expected to meet the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) next week with some more fact finding papers on the third dose, source said. However, the policy on booster or precaution dose could be revisited for the extension of the policy among other age group beneficiaries. As per the source, the precaution dose may continue among healthcare and frontline workers and 60 plus population.

Meanwhile, according to the health ministry report, total 97,03,569 precaution doses have been administered so far which includes 29,87,993 for healthcare workers, 31,02,620 for frontline workers and 36,12,956 for over 60 population.

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