The process of formulating a policy document in order to administer the third dose or the booster shot of coronavirus vaccines is under way, said Dr NK Arora, co-chair of INSACOG (Indian SARS-CoV-2 Consortium on Genomics). Greater clarity is expected in the coming days about the correct time for administering the booster shot.

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Dr Arora is a member of the country’s Covid task force and he has urged the public to wait for the booster shot rather than rushing for it in order to receive their vaccine certification.

According to a report in the Times of India, Dr Arora said, “We have been working on the policy document for the past three weeks, and are firming it up. It will be made public soon.”

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya reassured the public on Thursday regarding the availability of an adequate stock of vaccines when booster doses become available. The priority of the government is to meet the vaccination target of the population with two doses following which a binding decision will be made about the administration of the booster dose.

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“The government cannot take a direct decision in such a matter. When the Indian Council of Medical Research and expert team will say that a booster dose should be given, we will consider it then,” Mandaviya said.

In spite of a large population, India has managed to provide 80% of its population with at least one shot of the coronavirus vaccine. The country’s efforts at making vaccines easily available have been commended by several countries as well as the World Health Organisation.

However, the WHO is yet to approve the use of the Indian vaccine Covaxin and Mandaviya revealed that the matter had been discussed with WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on multiple occasions in order to understand the reason behind the delay.

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The minister
says that it is a matter of great pride that a vaccine developed and
manufactured in India has been given the EUA status.

When asked
whether the approval had something to do with discrimination against India,
Mandaviya refused to comment on the matter.