Amid the decline in new COVID-19 cases across the country, the Director of ICMR-National Institute of Virology (ICMR-NIV) Dr Priya Abraham on Friday reiterated the importance of precaution doses and said it is useful for boosting overall immunity to fight other infections too.
"In my opinion, there's a role for a booster dose. We need a boost in immunity for other infections too," said Dr Abraham.
Quoting the need for immunity to fight all the infections, she added there is a reason precautionary dose is being given to the people at maximal risk.
However, the decision on booster or precaution dose for those above 18 years of age has not been yet taken yet.
"The government and scientific panels will be introducing precaution dose for below 60 years only in a phased manner depending on the COVID-19 situation in the country but no decision has been taken on this issue yet. Currently, the prioritization is the administration of maximum vaccination," said sources.
The government of India started the administration of precaution doses for everyone above 60 years of age on March 16.
Earlier precaution dose was allowed only for Health care workers, frontline workers and those above 60 years of age with comorbidities issues.
The prioritization and sequencing is based on the completion of the 39 weeks from the date of administration of the second dose of COVID-19 vaccination.
( With inputs from ANI )
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