Booster Dose Policy For Special Cases Soon: Covid Panel Chief To NDTV

The policy will be formulated by the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation -- along with another one on vaccinating the country's 44 crore children.

A comprehensive policy on additional Covid vaccine doses for immunocompromised people will be drawn up over the next two weeks, Dr NK Arora, chairman of the country's Covid Task Force, has told NDTV. The policy will be formulated by the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation -- along with another one on vaccinating the country's 44 crore children. The prioritisation process is in progress, so children with comorbidities are given the vaccine first, he said.

Asked about a booster dose of the vaccine for the elderly -- which is now being given in several nations -- especially in view of the emergence of the new Covid variant Omicron, Mr Arora said a booster means 94 crore doses "which itself cannot be done overnight".

He, however, asserted that there is no shortage of doses in the country.

Pointing out that even now, 12 to 15 crore Indians have not received a single dose of vaccine and 30 crore people have not received their second doses, he said the need of the hour is to push ahead with their vaccination which is the "most important and effected tool and completed on a priority basis".