Medical experts bat for second COVID-19 vaccine booster for general public, fourth dose for frontline workers

In a meeting with Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, doctors of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) suggested allowing people to take another booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. If approved, this would be the second booster dose, with the first one having been approved in early 2022. The meeting was held virtually between doctors, health experts, and the Union Health Minister on Monday to discuss preparedness as the apprehension of another COVID-19 wave seeps through the country.

In the meeting, the doctors stressed on the fact that despite the many efforts by the health system, only a small proportion of the population got their booster dose. Dr. Sahajanand Prashad Singh, President of IMA, said that only 30 percent of the population is covered with booster doses. He urged the Health Minister to take the necessary actions to vaccinate the maximum population with booster doses.

Dr. JA Jayalal, former President of IMA, urged the Health Minister to allow for a fourth booster dose for the frontline healthcare workers such as doctors, nurses, and Asha workers. Dr. Jayalal said that the last doses to the frontline workers were given almost a year ago, and such a long gap in the doses would decrease the immunity to the virus.


The meeting between the Health Ministry and the experts comes as the Centre steps up to surveillance of COVID-19 in light of the recent COVID waves in China, Japan, South Korea, and Thailand. The number of active COVID cases in India has decreased drastically from 300 on December 1 to 163 on December 25 over seven days. The government is maintaining complete surveillance on the spread of COVID and preparing for every eventuality.

The Union Health Minister asked the doctors and experts to join the fight by providing accurate information to stop the spread of any misinformation. Among other suggestions, the experts suggested strengthening mandatory mask use in crowded public spaces. They also suggested closer coordination among the COVID experts in the country's different states.

In a statement issued after the meeting, the Health Ministry said that while it is essential to take appropriate measures, it is also necessary to stop the spread of misinformation to battle COVID.

FAQs
How many active COVID cases are there in India?
There are 3421 active COVID cases in India, per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare data.

How many people died in India due to COVID?
5,30,696 people died in India due to COVID, per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare data.