WHO representative in India says rushing with Covid booster doses is important

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WHO representative in India says rushing with Covid booster doses is important

The World Health Organisation WHO representative in India, Roderico Ofrin, said it is not advisable to rush with booster doses due to concerns surrounding the Omicron variant of coronaviruses. He stated in an interview with India Today that getting the entire population under vaccination coverage is more important.

Dr Roderico Ofrin said in an exclusive interview with India Today that India's approach to reducing the transmission of infection by vaccinating the entire population is the right thing to do.

The vaccines' response on neutralizing the new Omicron variant is not known, according to Dr Ofrin.

Dr Ofrin says rushing with booster jabs instead of inoculating the unvaccinated population first is not advisable because of concerns about the new variant.

The WHO Technical Group on Immunization called the SAGE Strategic Advisory Group on Immunization will meet today to lay out the recommendations for booster doses.

India has reported 21 cases of the Omicron variant of coronaviruses.

On Monday, India's National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation held a meeting to discuss boosters or additional doses. According to sources, no recommendations have been made yet to the health ministry.

India has crossed the 50 per cent mark for the second dose. 85 per cent of the eligible population have received the first jab of the Covid 19 vaccine.

One billion doses in 10 months is remarkable, Dr. Roderico Ofrin said, responding to a question on the slow pace of vaccinations.

The future is uncertain because of the new variants, adding that we already have the tools to handle the possible increase in coronaviruses cases.

Dr Ofrin said that they should reduce spread, suppress transmission and vaccine so that the chain of transmission can be broken.