The Need For The Third Covid Dose
Editor-in-Chief of indiacommentary.com. Current Affairs analyst and political commentator.
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By Sunil Garodia
First publised on 2021-11-09 03:03:42
About the Author
Editor-in-Chief of indiacommentary.com. Current Affairs analyst and political commentator.
View all posts by this Author
Although the world is now talking about booster dose of Covid vaccines to keep further spread in check, with less than 40% of the adult population fully vaccinated, regulators in India have not seriously pondered over the question even though doctors and frontline workers who were vaccinated more than 6 months ago have started raising a demand for the same.
With Covid not showing any signs of going away soon (even China is reporting new cases in large numbers and is sealing cities to prevent an outbreak) and with antibodies in those that were vaccinated very early showing signs of tapering off, the need for a booster dose is being felt all over the world.
Even if India has failed to achieve vaccination targets despite record performance, it does not mean that it should not pay any attention to the need for the booster dose. The danger for those doctors and frontline workers who were vaccinated very early is real. They are still vaccinating people and are coming in contact with Covid patients. Hence, it is required that a booster dose be given to them.
Vaccines have to be judged mainly on two parameters - the first is their efficacy in fighting the disease and the second is the duration for which the disease remains potent. Covid vaccines have proved their efficacy in the short run as vaccination with two doses has prevented serious outbreaks. But as Covid refuses to go away, the efficacy will reduce and people will need to be given the third dose.
India must draw up a plan where those who were vaccinated very early in the drive are given the third dose. This must happen even as others are being given the first and the second dose and later when kids are being vaccinated. All of them are important and must be carried out. Since there are no supply constraints now, the government must think about it. The cost will be a factor, but if third doses prevent a fresh outbreak, the cost should not matter. For, if an outbreak does happen by not giving the third dose, the achievements of the vaccination drive will be nullified.
