Gap between 2nd Covid jab, booster dose not reduced yet: Report

The central government is yet to decide on reducing the gap between the second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine and the precaution dose from the current nine months to six months, reported ANI on Saturday, quoting sources.

This comes as recent reports had stated that a recommendation on lessening the gap is expected to be made by the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) meeting held on Friday.

However, the news agency reported that no discussion was carried out during the NTAGI meeting.

What do experts think?

Top health expert believes that the gap between the second dose of vaccine and the precautionary dose should be at least six months for better immunity.

Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, co-chairman of the Indian Medical Association’s (IMA) national task force on coronavirus said that the long gap between the second vaccine dose and the precautionary dose reduces the number of infections and severity of the disease.

Quoting a study conducted by them, he said: “As per our research, if a person is going for the third dose and he/she has very recently taken the second dose, then we found that it did not make any difference. In other words, if a person is already protected with a second dose very recently and he/she gets the third dose, there was no difference in the level of antibodies.”

“But we looked at people who waited longer, atleast for six months or longer after the second dose, then we found that adding a third dose made a difference in the number of infections and severity of infections,” he added.

Studies at ICMR and other international research institutions have suggested that antibody level wanes after about six months from the primary vaccination with both doses and giving a booster increases the immune response.

All those above the age of 18 who have completed nine months after the administration of the second dose are eligible for the precaution dose.

The administration of boosters to the 18+ population through private vaccination centres began on 10 April.

So far, about 96% of the 15+ population in the country has received at least one Covid-19 vaccine shot while about 83% of the 15 population has received both doses, as per government data.