Third dose will be of same vaccine as two earlier shots

Third dose will be of same vaccine as two earlier shots

9-Month Gap After Second Jab Required

Sushmi.Dey@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:27.12.2021

Nearly three crore health and frontline workers are estimated to be eligible in January for the ‘precaution dose’ of Covid vaccine that will be administered with a gap of nine months from the second dose, official sources said.

As of now, the third jab that will also be given to around three crore people aged above 60 with co-morbidities will be of the same vaccine that one had received in the first and second instances.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had, on Saturday, announced that Covid vaccination of children aged between 15 and 18 will begin on January 3, whereas administration of “precaution doses” of Covid vaccines to health and frontline workers as well as for those above 60 with co-morbidities will begin from January 10.

However, few of the elderly people may be eligible for the third dose in January after completing the ninemonth gap.

Around six to seven crore children in the age bracket of 15-18 years will be eligible to receive Covaxin from January 3.

Self-discipline key to fighting Covid: PM

In his Mann Ki Baat on Sunday, PM Narendra Modi said self-awareness and self-discipline as well as collective strength of citizens are important in the battle against the virus. Crossing the140-million vaccine mark is an achievement of each and every Indian, he said. P 10

CM Stalin reviews preparedness

Chief minister M K Stalin on Sunday inspected infrastructure, amenities and availability of medical oxygen in Chennai to tackle the Omicron variant. Around 1.15 lakh beds are ready, and steps are being taken to set up 50,000 additional beds if required, said a release. P 6

‘Call on mixing of doses will be based on clinical trial results’

ZyCoV-D Vax Is Still Not Part Of Govt’s Programme

An official said, “Any decision on mixing of doses will be taken based on clinical trial results. CMC Vellore is conducting trials to assess the efficacy level if vaccines developed on different platforms are mixed for the booster dose. If they come up with any interim findings, that will be considered but as of now the same vaccine will be administered as the third dose.” Besides, around six to seven crore children in the age bracket of 15-18 years will be eligible to receive Covaxin from January 3.

The nationwide Covid immunisation programme was first rolled out on January 16 this year with preference to health and frontline workers in the first phase. Vaccination of those above 60 started from March 1. While initially the gap between two doses of both Covishield and Covaxin was 28 days, it was later increased to 6-8 weeks in March and 12-16 weeks in May for Covishield.

Since Covishield accounts for majority of the nearly 89% of the total over 141 crore doses administered in the country so far, it is estimated that a maximum of one crore people above 60 with co-morbidities would complete the nine-month gap in January. “Our estimates suggest almost all of the health and frontline workers would be eligible for the third dose. However, it may still take a few more weeks from January 10 for those above 60 with co-morbidities to become eligible after completing the nine-month gap between the second and third doses,” the official said.

While Zydus Cadila’s DNAbased vaccine ZyCoV-D has also been approved for use in children above 12 years, the vaccine is still not part of the government’s programme.

Full report on www.toi.in

TAKING NO CHANCES: A healthcare worker collects a nasal swab sample for Covid-19 testing in Prayagraj on Sunday

Jabbing of 15-18-year-olds based on scientific assessment: NTAGI chief

-Sushmi Dey

New Delhi:

The government’s decision to start Covid immunisation of children in 15-18 age bracket is based on scientific assessment of local as well as global data that shows 75% of Covid deaths in children during the last two years have been in this age group, National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) chairman N K Arora said.

“Assessment of data from last two years shows 75% of deaths in all children — less than 18 years — due to Covid-19 are among 15-18 years. This is also the age when children also interact more with other adults. So, youngsters behave more like adults and worldwide, the vaccination is given step wise in this manner. We have also done vaccination on the same scientific principles. Our own data shows that complications among children below 18 years are concentrated in the age bracket of 15-18 years. This is the reason for prioritising this age bracket for vaccination in children,” Arora said.