Policy Change On Third Dose Of Covid Vaccination
The India Commentary view
View all posts by this Author
By Our Editorial Team
First publised on 2022-04-09 11:10:59
About the Author
The India Commentary view
View all posts by this Author
The Centre's change in the vaccination policy to allow all adults to take the precautionary (booster) dose at private clinics from Sunday is welcome. But this dose will have to be paid for, except for senior citizens, healthcare and frontline workers who will continue to receive free doses at government clinics. Also, the government has ignored studies that showed that better immunity is achieved in mix-and-match vaccination for the booster dose and has gone in for a homologous booster dose, meaning those jabbed with Covishield for the first two jabs will have to take the same vaccine as the third dose.
With cases surging again in many countries and experts saying that immunity wanes in six to nine months after the last dose or infection, there was no time to lose if booster doses were to be given. But the decision to make people buy the third dose, except for the select group of persons, is not right. The government had earmarked Rs 35000cr for vaccination. Till December 20, 2021 it had spent just Rs 19675cr. Hence, it still has a substantial amount for funding the third dose and it should do so, especially for the poor. Those who can afford and wish to avoid queues at government centres can always avail the paid facility at private clinics.
Further, it is doubtful that private clinics have the infrastructure and inclination to provide services in rural areas. Hence, the coverage will not be as per expectation. To start with, the government must make the third dose free for people in rural areas and jab them at government centres for better coverage and providing relief to the poor. Also, it must seriously consider the reports on the mix-and-match policy and allow people to take some other vaccine as third dose for better immunity.
