NEW DELHI: An expert panel on immunisation, which met on Monday to discuss additional doses of Covid vaccine for the vulnerable group of population and starting shots for children, decided not to send any recommendations to the health ministry yet, sources said.
The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation debated on the need of additional doses for groups such as transplant patients and immune-compromised but felt that more evidence is needed to recommend the third dose for them.
Officials had earlier clarified that while a booster dose is given to an individual after a predefined period when the immune response due to the primary vaccination is presumed to have reduced, additional doses are for those with low immunity when the primary schedule of vaccination does not provide adequate protection.
Meanwhile, the Indian Medical Association demanded booster doses for healthcare and frontline workers amid the Omicron scare.
Some vaccine manufacturers have already started laboratory testings to ascertain if their jabs are effective against the Omicron variant and develop new shots, if needed. Another group is also seeking additional regulatory approvals for booster doses.