Research work is going on booster dose of COVID-19 vaccines, says AIIMS doctor

Dr Sanjeev Sinha said, "It is about five months since the start of vaccination in India. Everyone is looking towards the government, doctors, and scientists if they are safe or they need a booster dose to make themselves safe."

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New Delhi: Even as the country is witnessing a decline in coronavirus cases, research is taking place in India, the US, and several other countries to see if booster dose will be needed for maintaining the longer efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines, according to a senior doctor at AIIMS, Delhi.

Dr Sanjeev Sinha, Professor in the Department of Medicine at AIIMS, Delhi told ANI, "It is about five months since the start of vaccination in India. Everyone is looking towards the government, doctors, and scientists if they are safe or they need a booster dose to make themselves safe."

Dr Sinha said, "This is the important question and we are having lots of research in India and abroad including US and European countries," adding "We will have other data also in two-three months. Then we will be able to decide on a booster dose. Everything will be based on research. There is some work is going on booster dose at AIIMS also."

Dr Sinha said that three vaccines - Covishield , Covaxin, and Sputnik V- have been authorised for use in the country against COVID-19, adding that the government took the decision to increase the gap between two doses of Covishield after a study was published in a leading medical journal.

Urging people to continue exercising caution against COVID-19 and not get complacent as a number of new cases have come down, Dr Sinha said, "This is a very crucial time. One has to be very careful. People should follow COVID-appropriate behavior and should only come out of their homes when absolutely necessary."

"It is preferable if people can work from home. If it is mandatory (to go to the office), then avoid taking lunch together," he added. 

Meanwhile, screening of children aged 6 to 12 years for the clinical trials of indigenously developed Covid-19 vaccine, Bharat Biotech`s Covaxin is scheduled to start from Tuesday. 

Citing sources, ANI report said that the recruitment for clinical trials of Covaxin among those aged 12 to 18 years is over, and they have been given a single dose of vaccine. After the recruitment of 6-12 yr old children, AIIMS Delhi will reportedly be conducting trials for the age group 2-6-year-old. 

Notably, the clinical trials are taking place at 525 centers. AIIMS Patna, Mysore Medical College, and Research Institute in Karnataka have also been selected to conduct these trials on children.

"We have started recruitment for children aged 6-12 years. Recruitments for clinical trials on children aged 12-18 years is over. They will be kept under observation." Prabhat Kumar Singh, Director, AIIMS, Patna told ANI.