Precaution Dose is to Lessen Covid Severity, Says Centre; Decision on Mixing Vaccines for Third Shot Before Jan 10

In the weekly Covid-19 briefing by the health ministry, Dr Balram Bhargava, director-general of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), said precautionary dose was to mitigate severity of infection, hospitalisations and deaths. He said a debate was still on about using a mixed vaccines for the third dose, and a decision will be made before January 10.

With the Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus fuelling a rise in infections, the Centre has decided to administer a ‘precaution’ dose to health and frontline workers, along with co-morbid senior citizens from January 10. Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the announcement in an address to the nation on December 25.

The health ministry said the Centre will send SMS reminders to eligible senior citizens for taking precautionary dose that begins from January 10.

Dr Bhargava said all Covid-19 vaccines, whether from India, Israel, US, Europe, UK or China, were primarily disease-modifying and did not prevent infection. The precautionary dose was to primarily mitigate severity of infection, hospitalisation and death, he added.

Dr Bhargava said debate was still on over whether a homologous vaccine or mixed vaccine will be used for the precaution dose, and a decision on the same will be made before January 10.

Dr Bhargava said, “We are having an extensive debate on which vaccine will be used for precaution dose, what vaccine is available right now, and which new vaccine can be given. We are analysing all data. Before January 10, we will give you detailed guidelines if a homologous vaccine or mixed vaccine will be used.”

The ICMR director-general highlighted that vaccination was a must in any scenario along with Covid-appropriate behaviour. Even after being fully vaccinated, mandatory use of masks and social distancing were a must, he added.

Dr Bhargava also said everyone, vaccinated or not, must avoid mass gatherings as the Omicron variant was three times more transmissible than the highly infectious Delta variant. Be it Omicron or Delta, earlier and currently circulating strains spread through the same routes, he added.

Treatment guidelines for earlier and currently circulating strains remained the same, he said.

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