Govt panel to discuss child immunisation, decide on COVID-19 booster dose amid Omicron fears

New Delhi: The National Technical Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) will meet on Monday to discuss the issues of child immunisation and administering additional dose of COVID-19 vaccine to the immunocompromised amid growing concerns over new COVID-19 variant Omicron.

According to officials, an additional dose of vaccine is different from a booster dose. 

A booster dose is given to an individual after a predefined period when the immune response due to primary vaccination is presumed to have declined, while additional dose is given to immunocompromised and immunosuppressed individuals when the primary schedule of vaccination does not provide adequate protection from the infection and disease.

An additional dose is given to those people who have a basic problem with their immune functions. In case they are not able to develop sufficient immunity to COVID-19, an additional dose is given with an aim to improve immunity levels. 

During today’s meeting, the NTAGI will be coming up with comprehensive policies for both the additional COVID-19 vaccine dose and child immunisation against COVID-19. This decision comes in view of the new Omicron variant of COVID-19 of which India has reported 21 cases so far. 

On administration of booster doses, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya had 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.