No talk of Covid booster shots yet, plan to jab adult population first: Niti Aayog member VK Paul

The government is not considering booster doses for Covid vaccines yet, Niti Aayog member (health) VK Paul said on Saturday, adding that the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) had not issued such a recommendation either.

"The science of the need and the timing of booster shots is still evolving. Different vaccines may have different schedules. It is being closely watched and studied," VK Paul told TOI.

As of now the prime concern is to cover the adult population in India with two doses of vaccine, Paul added.


In response to the chairman of the Serum Institute of India, Cyrus Poonawalla emphasising the necessity for a third or booster dosage of Covishield vaccine six months after the second treatment, Paul stated that only a few countries around the world had begun with booster doses. He also stated that the WHO had not yet issued a recommendation on the subject.

"We are watching the emerging data in this regard continuously and would be guided by the NTAGI in this regard," he said.

Paul stated there was no advise from NTAGI on shortening the space between the two doses of Covishield.

"The present gap between the two doses of Covishield is based on science and there's no issue about it. So, the government is not thinking about reducing the gap between two doses," he said.