COVID vaccine booster shots important for frontline workers amid Omicron threat: IMA Chief

Booster doses are important to enhance the immunity of our healthcare workers amid Omicron threat, said Dr Jayalal

New Delhi: All the healthcare workers and those working on the frontline during the COVID-19 pandemic should be given booster doses of coronavirus vaccine to enhance their immunity amid the omicron outbreak threat, said Dr JA Jayalal, Indian Medical Associated (IMA) president on Monday. (December 6)

Noting that the country is in need of more health professionals in case of any serious outbreak Dr Jayalal told ANI, “It's important that all healthcare workers & frontline workers should be given vaccine booster doses to enhance their immunity. We are lacking in the area of manpower as NEET-PG counselling getting delayed.”

The expert also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene in the matter and initiate the process soon.

IMA president’s statement comes as The National Technical Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) is set to meet on Monday to discuss the issues of vaccination in children and administering an additional dose of COVID-19 vaccine to the immunocompromised amid growing concerns over the new COVID-19 variant Omicron.

According to officials, the additional vaccine dose is different from the booster dose.

About the booster COVID vaccine doses, the Centre recently informed the Lok Sabha that the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) and the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) were deliberating and considering scientific evidence related to this aspect and a decision will be taken on those recommendations.

As far as the Omicron outbreak is concerned, India has so far reported only 21 cases of the variant and health ministry asked people not to panic.