COVID-19 booster doses for all not based on scientific recommendation, say expert group members

(Representational image)

The Union health ministry on April 8 allowed all adults to avail precaution or booster jabs against COVID-19, beginning April 10, but top sources have confirmed to Moneycontrol that the decision was purely an administrative one and not based on scientific recommendations.

The government has said that those above 18 years of age can avail booster doses at private vaccination centres, where the vaccines are offered at specified rates, provided that they have completed nine months since their second dose.

As of now, booster doses are available only for healthcare and frontline workers and people above 60 years of age and are offered also at government centres free of cost.

Dr J P Muliyil, a member of the COVID-19 working group of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation told Moneycontrol that the expert group “had not made any recommendation related to boosting of all adults to the government.”

“There have been some scientific discussions on the issue to discuss available data but there was no recommendation given to the government at all,” he said.

The same was confirmed by another member who did not want to be quoted. “It is obvious that the move is mainly aimed at helping vaccine makers as the booster doses for all are only going to be available at private hospitals and the government will not procure more vaccine doses for this purpose.”

‘Discriminatory in spirit’

The NTAGI member also said that as the booster doses for all are going to be available only at private hospitals, it may be disadvantageous for those unable to pay the price even though the benefit is limited.

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“The COVID-19 working group had a view that the benefit from booster doses against Omicron is very limited but I feel that if booster doses are being opened, the government should have also considered the case of the poor,” he added.

Covishiled in private hospitals is available for Rs 780 per dose while Covaxin is available privately at nearly Rs 1200 per dose. Ever since the supply of COVID-19 vaccines at government hospitals improved, the vaccination rates at private hospitals have gone down drastically.

The Serum Institute of India, however, following the announcement by the health ministry declared a reduction in price of Covishield to private hospitals and the benefit, in turn, is expected to be passed on to vaccine beneficiaries.

Meanwhile Dr N K Arora, who heads the COVID-19 working group under NTAGI, was not available for comments despite attempts to reach him.

The health ministry said that about 96 percent of all 15 plus population in the country have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose while about 83 percent of 15+ population has received both the doses.

‘Booster doses important’

Many senior scientists however also say that booster doses may be important for offering long term protection against serious COVID-19.

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“..all vaccines protect very well from severe disease and mortality,” said senior virologist Dr Shahid Jameel. “Giving boosters to all willing adults, provided there are sufficient stocks, will prolong protection from infection, reduce transmission and further boost protection against disease.”

In the end, said Dr Jameel, the goal should be to take COVID-19 mortality down to seasonal flu levels. “That is already happening in several European countries that are opening up”.

Dr Gopi Krishna Yedlapati, consultant interventional pulmonologist, Yashoda hospitals, Hyderabad stressed that vaccines are our best hope to end the COVID-19 pandemic.