The emergence of new coronavirus variants has resulted in a booster dose being approved by the Serum Institute of India, citing adequate stock of the vaccine in the country and a demand for a booster shot, according to official sources.
In a application to the Drugs Controller General of India DCGI Prakash Kumar Singh, the Director, Government and Regulatory Affairs at Serum Institute of India SII cited that the UK's Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency has approved the booster dose of AstraZeneca ChAdOx 1 nCoV 19 vaccine.
Singh said in the application that as the world continues to face the Pandemic situation, many countries have started administering booster doses of COVID 19 vaccines.
The people of our country as well as citizens of other countries who have already been fully vaccinated with two doses of Covishield are constantly requesting our firm's booster dose, according to an official source quoted by Singh as saying in the application on Tuesday.
The people who have already taken two doses of Covishield are aware that there is no shortage of Covishield in our country and the demand for a booster dose is increasing day by day because of the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic and the emergence of new strains. It is the need of the hour and a matter of right to health of every individual that they should not be deprived of third dose booster to protect themselves in this pandemic situation, Singh stated.
The Union government informed the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization and National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID 19 that they are deliberating and considering scientific evidence for the need and justification for a booster dose.
Recently, Kerala, Rajasthan, Karnataka and Chhattisgarh have urged the Centre to allow booster doses of COVID 19 vaccine diseased because of concerns raised by 'Omicron', the new variant of SARS-CoV-2.
The Delhi High Court on November 25 directed the Centre to clarify its position on administering booster doses to those who are fully vaccinated against coronaviruses, saying it does not want a second wave situation on account of being conservative.