THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The rising number of breakthrough infections among vaccinated has increased the demand for booster doses as the initial assumption that vaccines offer sterilising immunity, which is the ability to totally prevent infection, has been shattered.
A booster dose is a third shot over and above the two doses of Covishield or Covaxin to boost the antibody levels to fend off the COVID-causing virus.
However, health experts are of the view that boosting antibodies has a marginal benefit and it should be reserved only for the most vulnerable categories whose bodies have a tough time responding to the vaccine shots already given.
They also warn that it is too early to understand what the booster will do to the body. The viral infection results in complications, transmission and deaths. The two doses of vaccine have helped in reducing these to a large extend.
Yet, the risk of breakthrough infection among people with comorbidities and the elderly have made the state government demand booster doses from the Centre. The state continues to report the highest number of daily cases and deaths in the country despite vaccinating 61 per cent of the eligible population with two doses.
As many as 2,278 persons of the 4,972 positive cases reported on Tuesday were fully vaccinated. As many as 57 deaths were also reported on the day along with 313 deaths previously excluded. According to health experts, a booster dose will not be a solution to prevent these deaths and transmission in the long term.
They argue that the antibody levels boosted by way of a third dose too will wane over a period. "The antibody level among fully vaccinated declines over a period. But waning of antibody levels should not be compared to waning of immunity. It is determined by other factors such as cell-mediated immunity, which is rarely tested. The booster doses are not needed for a normal person," said Dr Purushothaman Kuzhikkathukandiyil, professor of paediatrics at MES Medical College, Perinthalmanna.
However, he said that there is a need for a third dose for people with compromised immunity such as those affected by cancer or renal ailments.
