SII asks Centre to reduce gap between second and precaution COVID-19 dose; what is the global mandate for booster shot

The maker of Covishield vaccine, Serum Institute of India, has asked the government to reduce the gap between the second vaccine dose and the third precautionary dose, or booster dose, to three months. The current gap between the two doses is nine months. The Centre had revised the guidelines for officials on election duty who can now be vaccinated 90 days after their second dose. Why Adar Poonawalla’s Serum Institute is asking the government to reduce the gap for all, what is the government’s stand and what is the global mandate of the third dose, let’s take a look: What is the government guideline on third booster dose – According to an advisory by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), the gap between the date of administering the second dose of vaccine and the precaution dose would be nine months (39 weeks). – The government started administering the third precautionary dose of Covid vaccine to healthcare and frontline workers and people aged 60 with comorbidity from 10 January. – It said that there would be no mix-and-match of vaccines for the precaution dose. The beneficiaries would be given the same vaccine as their previous two jabs. – The government later revised the guidelines for officials on election duty. They can now be vaccinated 90 days after their second dose. What are the global guidelines for booster dose – In the US anyone aged 18 or above can get the booster dose of Pfizer or Moderna five months after the second dose of any of the vaccines available. Those who received Janssen as their primary vaccine can get the booster after two months. – France, Singapore, Taiwan, Italy and Australia have decreased their booster wait time to five months. – Finland has recommended a three-month booster timeline for at-risk groups, saying it does not believe shortening the time for the general population will slow rising hospitalizations. – Sweden has also cut the recommended time interval between the second and third vaccine shot to five months from six. – In Japan, the timeline for booster shots for those age 64 and below is seven months after the second dose. For those aged 65 and above, the gap is six months after the second dose. What is Serum Institute saying – Prakash Kumar Singh, diretor, Government and Regulatory Affairs at SII, argued that the third dose is being administered within six months in various countries and it is giving very good results to control the infection. – Singh also mentioned that private companies, educational institutions, social organisations, central government organisations as well as public undertaking companies are continuously requesting the firm for the third dose of Covishield for their staff members and families. – In a letter written to health minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Singh said that the administration of the third dose of Covishield will be allowed after the completion of 3 months in line with revised guidelines of GoI for the officials and staff deployed on election duty. – “Sir, it is the need of the hour and in the interest of the public at large… This will help to control unpredictable and fast spread of various strains of Covid-19 which is disrupting the economy and social stability of our country,” Singh said in the letter. With inputs from agencies Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.