The Chief of All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), Dr. Randeep Guleria stated, as mutations of the coronavirus emerge, the beneficiaries who have been vaccinated may still need a booster with a second-generation COVID 19 shot.
News agency ANI quoted Dr. Guleria who explains,” It seems that we probably need the booster dose of vaccine as with the passage of time the immunity tends to falls. There is warning immunity. We would like to have a booster dose that will cover for various emerging variants.”
Further, he added, “We will have second-generation vaccines which would be better in terms of the immunity they give, covering of the new variants and a having a better overall efficacy. Trails of booster vaccines shots are already going on.”
He emphasized an appropriate timeline of when the booster dose should be administered. He stated that an individual will probably require a booster dose till the end of this year. However, he notified that it will be applicable once the population is vaccinated.
International discourse
Guleria’s words follow after the European Medicines Agency stated that it is too earlier to determine the need for more than the two shots of the COVID 19 vaccines. Furthermore, it voiced that it was confident for now that the established regimen was sufficient.
Reportedly, experts across the world are examining closely to determine if and when people might need another shot.
Many experts suggest that priority for the time being should be the first round of vaccinations, nothing that worrisome coronavirus mutants would not be popping up so fast if more of the world had gotten the initial rounds of shots.
Earlier, US Health officials proposed that people might need a booster one day. However, the World Health Organization asserted that there is not enough evidence to affirm that third doses are needed. It noted that the scarce shots should be shared with the poor countries instead of being used by rich countries as boosters.
Covaxin booster dose trials
As earlier reported, results of trials of the third booster doses of Bharat Biotech’s COVID 19 vaccines Covaxin are likely to come by the end of November of the ongoing year.
The booster dose of the indigenously manufactured vaccine was first launched in the month of May. Following, its trials commenced at the AIIMS in Delhi and Patna. Nearly 12 centers across the country are conducting trials for the Covaxin booster shots.
Bharat Biotech received its permission to conduct the clinical trials from the Drug Controller General of India in the month of April. The outcome of the first trial is expected in the month of august while the second trial results are likely to arrive in November 2021.
The trials examined the immunogenicity, safety, reactogenicity, and tolerability of the Covaxin booster dose.