Expert bodies studying data on booster: Centre

Arriving passengers at Ranchi airport on December 4. Pic/PTI

The Centre has told the Delhi High Court that the National Technical Advisory Group of Immunisation (NTAGI) and National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19 (NEGVAC) are deliberating and considering scientific evidence related to the dosing schedule of Covid-19 vaccines as well as the need and justification of booster doses of Covid-19 vaccines.

In an affidavit filed by Central government Standing Counsel Anurag Ahluwalia, the government informed the Delhi High Court that the NTAGI and NEGVAC are deliberating and considering scientific evidence related to the dosing schedule of Covid-19 vaccines as well as the need and justification of booster doses. Centre apprised the Court that the NTAGI and NEGVAC are two expert bodies working in tandem to guide the National Covid-19 vaccination programme.

NTAGI examines the technical aspects like usage of different varieties of Covid-19 vaccines, the interval between vaccine doses, contraindications, etc., and recommends the same to NEGVAC. NEGVAC in turn provides overall guidance and recommendations on all aspects of Covid- 19 vaccination to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Centre submitted that the current knowledge about the duration of immunity offered by Covid-19 vaccines in India is limited and will clearly be known over a period of time only.

4 fresh Omicron cases detected in New Delhi

Meanwhile, four new cases of Omicron have been reported in Delhi, taking the total tally in the national capital to six, Health Minister Satyendra Jain announced on Tuesday. The six patients have been detected at the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan hospital, which has been dedicated for the treatment of Omicron patients.

‘Universal vaccine coverage priority'

Covid-19 Task Force chief V K Paul on Tuesday said the foremost priority right now is to make sure that there is universal coverage of the vaccine and no one is left behind. Addressing an event organised by industry body CII, Paul said the pandemic is still ongoing, and globally there are 3.6 billion people who are not vaccinated.

3,47,03,644
Total no. of Coronavirus cases in India so far

4,75,888
Total no. of deaths due to the virus in India so far

88,993
Total no. of active cases in India

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever