Will appeal to govt to reduce gap before booster dose to 6 months from 9: SII chief
Speaking to reporters, Adar Poonawalla said, "The [vaccine inoculation] uptick right now is a bit slow because we have got this rule that you have to wait for 9 months between dose 2 and 3."
- Apr 12, 2022,
- Updated Apr 12, 2022 3:15 PM IST
Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) chief executive Adar Poonawalla on Tuesday stated that his company will appeal the government to reduce the gap before administering a booster dose against COVID-19 to 6 months from the current rule of 9 months amid the country witnessing a slow start to administering the precaution dose, which began from Sunday.
Speaking to reporters, Poonawalla said, "The [vaccine inoculation] uptick right now is a bit slow...because we have got this rule that you have to wait for 9 months between dose 2 and 3. We have appealed to the govt on how to reduce this further to 6 months, will propose the 6-month gap."
Meanwhile, administration of precaution dose of COVID-19 vaccines began in India at a slow pace, as less than 10,000 people received the jabs under the programme on Sunday, according to Co-WIN dashboard.
Only a few private vaccination centres started the exercise on Day One, while most hospitals had planned to start the booster plan from Monday.
On Day 2, over 26,700 precaution doses of COVID-19 vaccine were administered in those aged 18-59 years, taking the total number of precaution doses given in this age group to 36,428 so far, as per the Union health ministry data.
India had on Sunday began administering the precaution doses to all aged above 18 years at private vaccination centres.
All those above the age of 18 who have completed nine months after the administration of the second dose are eligible for the precaution dose.
The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 last year with healthcare workers getting inoculated in the first phase. Vaccination of frontline workers started from February 2 last year.
The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination commenced on March 1 last year for people over 60 years of age and those aged 45 and above with specified co-morbid conditions. India launched vaccination for all people aged more than 45 years from April 1 last year. The government then decided to expand its vaccination drive by allowing everyone above 18 years of age to be inoculated against the viral disease from May 1 last year.
The next phase of vaccination commenced from January 3 for adolescents in the age group of 15-18 years.
India began administering precaution doses to healthcare and frontline workers and those aged 60 and above with comorbidities from January 10.
(With agency inputs)
Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) chief executive Adar Poonawalla on Tuesday stated that his company will appeal the government to reduce the gap before administering a booster dose against COVID-19 to 6 months from the current rule of 9 months amid the country witnessing a slow start to administering the precaution dose, which began from Sunday.
Speaking to reporters, Poonawalla said, "The [vaccine inoculation] uptick right now is a bit slow...because we have got this rule that you have to wait for 9 months between dose 2 and 3. We have appealed to the govt on how to reduce this further to 6 months, will propose the 6-month gap."
Meanwhile, administration of precaution dose of COVID-19 vaccines began in India at a slow pace, as less than 10,000 people received the jabs under the programme on Sunday, according to Co-WIN dashboard.
Only a few private vaccination centres started the exercise on Day One, while most hospitals had planned to start the booster plan from Monday.
On Day 2, over 26,700 precaution doses of COVID-19 vaccine were administered in those aged 18-59 years, taking the total number of precaution doses given in this age group to 36,428 so far, as per the Union health ministry data.
India had on Sunday began administering the precaution doses to all aged above 18 years at private vaccination centres.
All those above the age of 18 who have completed nine months after the administration of the second dose are eligible for the precaution dose.
The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 last year with healthcare workers getting inoculated in the first phase. Vaccination of frontline workers started from February 2 last year.
The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination commenced on March 1 last year for people over 60 years of age and those aged 45 and above with specified co-morbid conditions. India launched vaccination for all people aged more than 45 years from April 1 last year. The government then decided to expand its vaccination drive by allowing everyone above 18 years of age to be inoculated against the viral disease from May 1 last year.
The next phase of vaccination commenced from January 3 for adolescents in the age group of 15-18 years.
India began administering precaution doses to healthcare and frontline workers and those aged 60 and above with comorbidities from January 10.
(With agency inputs)