Will vaccine boosters prove effective against the new Omicron variant?
Omicron cases have rapidly surged in a short span of time and scientists are still finding answers to why. While the new variant is said to be mild so far, the high rate of transmissibility has become a source of concern.
Preliminary studies have suggested that the two standard doses of coronavirus vaccines show little to no efficacy against the new COVID variant Omicron, which has raised another wave of alarm. While more research is awaited, many experts believe that a third shot might provide higher efficacy against the new variant.
In India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced the roll out of third 'precaution doses' (booster) of COVID-19 vaccine for health and frontline workers as well as for those above 60 with comorbidities, set to begin on January 10th. Read on to find out further details about the same.
Who is eligible for the booster shots?
As per government guidelines, the 'precaution dose' will be given to citizens above 60 years facing comorbidities such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, kidney disease (people on dialysis), those receiving stem cell transplant, cirrhosis, cancer, sickle cell disease and more.
Older adults with highly compromised immune systems also qualify for the shots. Having a weak immune system puts them at a greater risk of contracting the virus and falling severely ill. In the past, most cases of hospitalization and death reigned in vulnerable groups of people.
Apart from that, healthcare and frontline workers are to be prioritized for the booster shots, since they are more prone to be in contact with patients suffering with COVID-19 or the new variants.
Why are some groups of people being prioritized over the other?
Given that people above 60, with pre-existing health ailments are more prone to developing severe COVID-19 infection, government and health officials have decided to prioritize them for booster shots.
Additionally, since senior citizens and healthcare workers were the first 'priority group' among the general population to receive both their COVID vaccine doses, the possibility of waning immunity is comparatively higher in them. This is why a booster dose is likely to re-expose a person's immune system to the immunizing antigen, the memory of which (after the previous dose) could have been lost over a period of time.
India had initiated the COVID vaccination drive on January 16 this year - almost a year back.
Required gap between the second and third 'precaution' dose
Dr R.S. Sharma, chief of India's vaccination platform CoWIN, on Monday revealed the required gap between the second and booster shot.
“If you are above 60 years of age and have taken both doses and the gap between the second dose and the day you are registering is more than 9 months (39 weeks) then you are eligible," Sharma said.
The National Technical Advisory Group for Immunisation is also considering a 9 to 12 months gap between the second shot and the precautionary dose for healthcare and frontline workers and senior citizens with comorbidities. Experts believe this will automatically prioritize the healthcare workers and senior citizens who had received their vaccination in the first leg of vaccine drive on January 16, 2021.
No nod for mix and match of COVID-19 vaccines
While several countries have begun mix and match of COVID-19 vaccines to expand the vaccine horizon and to explore the chances of increased efficacy, people eligible for the booster vaccines will be administered the third dose of the same COVID vaccine they received earlier, which is Covishield and Covaxin.
Several studies have suggested that mixing vaccines seems to trigger a robust immune response against the SARs-COV-2 virus. However, as of now, the Centre has not given the nod for the same.
How can you get the booster shots?
In a recent interview, Dr Sharma laid down the process of registering yourself (if you are eligible) for the booster shots. He says that the registration process will be the same as was done previously for 45-plus individuals with co-morbidities. One will have to complete the process on the CoWIN vaccine platform.
“When you register, it will ask whether you have any comorbidities or not. If you say yes, you will be able to book and have to show the co-morbidities certificate from a registered doctor at the vaccination center and then you can get jabs," Dr Sharma elaborates.
Those above 60 years of age will have to provide a medical certificate to prove that they have the co-morbidities that are specified by the government to get the booster shot.
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