No evidence to support booster shot: ICMR chief

Dr Balram Bhargava says completion of second dose for the country’s entire adult population remains government’s main focus at the moment

There is no scientific evidence so far to support the need for a booster vaccine dose against Covid-19, ICMR Director General Dr Balram Bhargava said on Monday underlining the completion of the second dose for India’s adult population is the priority for the government for now.

According to sources, the booster dose issue is likely to be discussed in the next meeting of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation in India (NTAGI). “Administering the second dose of Covid-19 vaccine to all adult population and ensuring that not only India but the entire world gets vaccinated is the priority of the government for now.

“More so, there is no scientific evidence so far to support the need for a booster vaccine dose against Covid-19,” said Bhargava. On the probability of administering a booster dose, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya recently said that adequate stocks are available and the aim is to complete the vaccination of the target population with two doses. After that, a decision on booster dose would be taken based on expert recommendation, he had said.

Officials said around 82 per cent of the eligible population in India have received the first dose of the vaccine while around 43 per cent have been fully inoculated. The total number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in the country had exceeded 116.87 crore, according to provisional reports till 7 am on Monday. Over 12 crore beneficiaries are overdue for their second dose of Covid-19 vaccine after the expiry of the prescribed interval between the two doses. 

SC pulls up Gujarat govt over ex gratia for Covid victims

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre to gather information from the States on the progress made on disbursal of ex-gratia compensation of R50,000 to the kin of Covid-19 victims and pulled up the Gujarat government for issuing notification constituting a scrutiny committee contrary to its directions.

3,45,18,901
Total no. of Coronavirus cases in India so far

4,65,911
Total no. of deaths due to the virus in India so far

1,18,443
Total no. of active cases in India

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