India working on booster dose against Covid-19, says AIIMS doctor

Research is taking place in India, the US and several other countries to see if booster doses will be needed for maintaining longer efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines, a senior doctor has said.

New Delhi:Research is taking place in India, the US and several other countries to see if booster dose will be needed for maintaining longer efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines, a senior doctor has said.

"It is about five months since the start of vaccination in India. Everyone is looking towards the government, doctors and scientists if they are safe or they need a booster dose to make themselves safe. This is the important question and we are having lots of research in India and abroad including US and European countries," Dr Sanjeev Sinha, Professor in Department of Medicine at AIIMS Delhi told ANI.

"We will have other data also in two three months. Then we will be able to decide on a booster dose. Everything will be based on research. There is some work is going on booster dose at AIIMS also," he added. Dr Sinha said that three vaccines - Covishield, Covaxin and Sputnik V- have been authorised for use in the country against COVID-19.

He said the government took the decision to increase the gap between two doses of Covishield after a study was published in a leading medical journal. Dr Sinha urged people to continue exercising caution against COVID-19 and not get complacent as a number of new cases have come down.

"This is a very crucial time. One has to be very careful. People should follow COVID-appropriate behaviour and should only come out of their homes when absolutely necessary. It is preferable if people can work from home. If it is mandatory (to go to the office), then avoid taking lunch together," he added.

(ANI)