PM announces booster shots for frontline workers, 60-plus population; vaccination also to begin for 15-18 age group

[Kool_SRG]

The mega announcements by the PM come even though the country’s top advisory panel on immunization was yet to give its final recommendation on booster doses or vaccination for kids.

 

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced precautionary additional Covid19 vaccine doses for healthcare and frontline workers across India, saying that they may be at a higher risk of contracting infection in case there is a surge of infection, in the wake of threat from the Omicron variant.

Administration of vaccine for this group of population, estimated to be around 3-4 crore in number, will begin on January 10.  

 

 

He also announced that beginning January 3, adolescents aged 15-18 years will be eligible for Covid19 vaccination.

Additionally, people aged 60 and above with comorbidities will also be eligible for booster or additional shots of Covid19 vaccine, on their doctor’s advice, starting January 10.

The mega announcements by the PM come even though the country’s top advisory panel on immunization was yet to give its final recommendation on booster doses or vaccination for kids.

The decision, said the PM, had been taken by the government in the interest of people at large.

He cautioned people not to panic but to stay vigilant, citing conflicting data from several other countries which are seeing a fresh wave of Covid19 infection.

Modi also said that a nasal vaccine against Covid19 is on the cards in India, apart from world’s first DNA vaccine (ZyCov D by Zydus Cadila) against Covid19.

The significant announcement on booster d

oses for healthcare and frontline workers comes amid growing clamour for the third shot of Covid19 vaccines for them as there is growing evidence of high breakthrough infections due to the Omicron variant.  

More than two months after an expert panel endorsed Covaxin for kids, the Drug Controller General of India on Saturday approved the Covid19 vaccine by Bharat Biotech for the 12-17 age group in India.

However, the country's highest drug regulator has permitted the vaccine only for adolescents and not for kids under 12, as recommended by the subject expert committee on Covid19 in October.

Earlier, the Hyderabad based vaccine maker had said that it had submitted data from clinical trials in the 2-18 years age group for Covaxin to the regulator which was thoroughly reviewed by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization and the subject expert committee.

“This represents one of the first approvals worldwide for Covid-19 vaccines for the 2-18 age group,” the  company had said . “We now await further regulatory approvals from the CDSCO prior to product launch and market availability of Covaxin for Children.

Raches Ella, clinic lead of Covid vaccines at the company had also  said in a tweet that Covaxin has been “reported to be safe and immunogenic” in a pediatric cohort and “the approval in children will help expedite the reopening of schools”.

Now, Covaxin has become the second vaccine, after Zydus Cadila’s ZyCoV D, to be permitted for under 18 population group in India even though the country is yet to clearly spell out its policy on Covid vaccination for minors.

Approved for adolescents aged 12-17 years of age in August by the DCGI, along with adults, ZyCoV D however is still to be rolled out for any population group in the country.

Meanwhile, Officials in the CDSCO said that though the amount of Covaxin recommended for minors remains the same—0.5 ml—as it is for adults and will also be administered in two doses- 28 days apart- there will be slight difference in the approach.

“It has been discussed that for adolescents, vaccines can be supplied in pre-filled syringes—instead of vaccines being taken out of vials at the time of administration,” said an official.

This, officials said, was recommended in order to ensure that exactly the specified quantity of vaccines are administered in kids as the higher quantity may lead to adverse effects.

[Kool_SRG]

[Tomb__ayya]

[perugu_vada]

Booster shot for both Covishield and Covaxin ?

[Kool_SRG]

2 minutes ago, perugu_vada said:

Booster shot for both Covishield and Covaxin ?

malli inko dose adhe vesthaaru anthe...

 

If for Sputnik it shall be sputnik light..