Booster Shots For India? Not Yet, Say Experts: Report

"The priority is to fully immunise the adult population," a source said, given that only 43 per cent of India's adults have gotten two Covid doses, and vaccination for people under 18 has not even begun yet.

India is not considering authorising booster COVID-19 doses yet as many in the country have been naturally infected and the government believes two doses of a vaccine offers sufficient protection for now, three sources with knowledge of the matter said.

As vaccine supplies have increased, some doctors and public health experts in India have urged the government to start a booster programme for the most vulnerable like many Western nations have done.

But authorities will instead concentrate on having most of India's 944 million adults complete a two-dose vaccination by January before shifting their focus to a big expansion in exports, said the sources who are involved in vaccine-policy discussions.

So far, 81 per cent of India's adults have received at least one dose while 43 per cent have had two doses. Vaccination for people under 18 has not yet begun.