Additional Covid Dose For Immunocompromised & Paediatric Vaccination: NTAGI To Take Call Today Amid Omicron Threat

<p><strong>New Delhi:</strong> The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) will meet on Monday to discuss and deliberate upon the issue of administering an &lsquo;additional&rsquo; dose of Covid-19 vaccine to immunocompromised individuals, news agency PTI reported.</p> <p>The NTAGI will also come up with comprehensive policies regarding child vaccination, as per reports. The decision comes amid the emergence of the newly mutated SARS-CoV-2 strain, the Omicron variant, in the country, with the tally reaching 21.</p> <p><strong>NTAGI To Discuss Issue Of Administering Additional Dose To Immunocompromised</strong></p> <p>Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya had recently informed the Lok Sabha about issues relating to the administration of booster doses.</p> <p>He informed the Lok Sabha that scientific pieces of evidence related to this aspect were being deliberated upon and considered by the NTAGI and the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19 (NEGVAC).</p> <p>Quoting an official source, the PTI report said, &ldquo;For now the issue of booster dose is not on the agenda as studies are being conducted to ascertain its need and value.&rdquo;</p> <p>The official source said that the issue of administering an additional dose of Covid-19 to immunocompromised and immunosuppressed individuals will be deliberated upon in the NTAGI meeting scheduled on December 6.</p> <p><strong>INSACOG Recommended Booster Dose For People Above 40 Years</strong></p> <p>The Indian SARS-CoV-2 Consortium on Genomics (INSACOG), in its bulletin dated November 29, recommended a booster dose of Covid-19 vaccines for people above 40 years of age. INSACOG noted that preference should be given to high-risk and high-exposure populations.</p> <p><strong>Who Requires An Additional Dose?</strong></p> <p>An additional dose, or a third dose of vaccine, is needed by immunosuppressed and immunocompromised individuals such as cancer patients on therapy, transplants patients, AIDS patients, among others, to improve their protection.</p> <p>Vaccination remains one of the strongest pillars of protection against disease and infection, even amid the emergence of new variants like Omicron, according to experts.</p> <p>The Union Health Ministry, in a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs), said some of the mutations reported on the spike gene of SARS-CoV-2 may decrease the efficacy of existing vaccines, even if there is no evidence to suggest that existing vaccines do not work on Omicron.</p> <p>"However, vaccine protection is also by antibodies as well as by cellular immunity, which is expected to be relatively better preserved. Hence, vaccines are expected to still offer protection against severe disease and, vaccination with the available vaccines is crucial. If eligible, but not vaccinated, one should get vaccinated," the ministry said.</p> <p>Based on its observed mutations, predicted features of increased transmission and immune evasion, and preliminary evidence of detrimental change in Covid-19 epidemiology, such as increased reinfections, Omicron has been declared a &lsquo;variant of concern&rsquo;, by the World Health Organization (WHO).</p> <p>According to the health agency, the definitive evidence for increased remission and immune evasion is awaited.</p>

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