TN docs take booster shot in secret

TN docs take booster shot in secret

Taking More Than Two Doses Can Invite Action

Sambath.Kumar@timesgroup.com

Coimbatore:24.12.2021

Practising doctors in private and government hospitals across the state are taking a third dose of covid vaccine on the sly.

Some doctors said they went to a private hospital, where stocks have piled up for several months, but many told TOI that they drew vaccines from vials in government supply. Every vial has at least 10 doses. “When only eight persons turn up till the end of vaccination on a day, two doses go for waste. Doctors use those for the booster,” said a doctor from Coimbatore ESI hospital.

Over the past few days, doctors’ groups have been abuzz with the ideal third dose, international studies and experiences on social media groups. Some doctors, who took two doses of Covidshield are taking Covaxin as a third dose, and vice versa.

Informal studies done by several hospitals including MGM Healthcare in Chennai showed that the antibody levels were extremely low. "We are hearing stories of breakthrough infections despite complete vaccination from across the globe. Doctors were the first to get vaccinated early this year. The duration between the two doses of Covishield was just 30 days instead of 82 days. So, the efficacy was low too. The government should consider booster doses for all healthcare providers," said another senior doctor.

As of now, the Centre has approved the vaccine only for emergency use. “They have permitted only two doses. Taking more doses will be a violation,” said director of public health Dr TS Selvavinayagam. “It is better to wait for an official notification from the government,” he said.

Doctors say they have waited enough. “Many of us are elderly and have co-morbid conditions. We will be forced to shut down clinics if there are no boosters,” said a senior doctor.

One of the reasons doctors considered mixed vaccines for the third dose is an incident from Uttar Pradesh during the second wave. “Some persons who took Covishield as their first dose were wrongly administered with Covaxin when they went to take their second dose. Their antibody levels increased. Some of the studies, including that of ICMR, showed better immunogenicity response for the combination of the two vaccines earlier this year which has been encouraging doctors to go for a third shot,” said a doctor from the government medical college hospital in Coimbatore.