New Delhi Dec 24 PTI The governments scientific groups are deliberating on the need for booster dose of COVID-19 and they are reviewing all data from across the world as well as from India officials said on FridayAddressing a press conference ICMR Director General Balram Bhargava said discussions are going on to look at different aspects of booster doseThere is a COVID working group which has debated on it several times that those recommendations to the subcommittee of the National Technical Advisory Group of immunisation following which it goes to the main technical advisory group of immunisation and then to NEGVAC which will then be accepted by the Ministry of Health he saidSo deliberations are going on and we are reviewing all the scientific data from across the world as well as from India We are deliberating and we are formulating our policy he saidUnion Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said the government has very clearly articulated the position that it would be governed by science and scientific evidence on deciding on the need and timing for additional doses and for lowering the age of vaccinationSo our stand remains the same And when we say science and scientific evidence I did refer to certain aspects of science and scientific evidence One aspect relates to antibody titers and their behaviour over a period of time The other aspect relates to T cells and their behaviour over a period of time Bhushan saidThe third aspect relates to hybrid immunity where you take one dose of vaccination and then get afflicted by the disease then recover then take the second dose So these are issues that men of science are deliberating he saidQuoting WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus Bhushan said No country can boost its way out of the pandemic and boosters cannot be seen as a ticket to go ahead with planned celebrations without the need for other precautionsAccording to WHO expert Abdi Mahamud Bhushan said Although we are seeing a reduction in the neutralization antibodies almost all data shows T-cells remain intact that is what we really require While the antibody defences from some courses have been undermined there has been hope that T-cells the second pillar of an immune response can prevent severe disease by attacking infected human cells Mahamud was quoted as saying by BhushanNational Expert Group on vaccine administration for Covid NEGVAC and National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization NTAGI are deliberating and considering scientific evidence related to justification for booster dose against Covid the Centre informed Parliament recently PTI UZMPLB ZMN

New Delhi [India], December 14 (ANI): The Centre has told the Delhi High Court that the National Technical Advisory Group of Immunization (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.

New Delhi [India], December 10 (ANI): In view of the threat posed by the new Omicron variant of COVID-19, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs has recommended that the Health Ministry in coordination with the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) and National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) should assess the need for booster doses in India.

New Delhi [India], December 7 (ANI): After a long meeting of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) on Monday, no final recommendation was made on additional COVID-19 vaccine dose and vaccine for children, informed the official sources.

New Delhi Nov 30 PTIThe National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization NTAGI and National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 NEGVAC are deliberating and considering scientific evidence for the need and justification for booster dose Rajya Sabha was told on TuesdayRespondingto a query on the stand of the Indian Government on booster doses Union Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar in a written reply said some countries are providing booster doses of COVID-19 vaccine The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization NTAGI and National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 NEGVAC are deliberating and considering scientific evidences related to dose schedule of COVID vaccines as well as the need and justification for booster dose she said PTI PLB RT RT

Kochi (Kerala) [India], September 3 (ANI): The Central government has submitted in the Kerala High Court on Friday that the duration of 84 days between 1st and 2nd doses of Covishield vaccine is providing the best protection against COVID-19.

Kochi Aug 31 PTI Can someone availing COVISHIELD vaccine at their own expense be allowed to take the second dose four weeks after the first or do they have to wait for 84 days was an issue being examined by the Kerala High Court which on Tuesday reserved its order in the matterThe issue came before the high court through a plea moved by Kitex Garments Ltd seeking permission to administer the second dose of COVISHIELD vaccine to its workers without having to wait for 84 daysKitex in its plea has said that it has already vaccinated more than 5000 of its workers with the first dose and has arranged for the second dose at a cost of nearly Rs 93 lakh but was unable to administer the same due to the prevailing restrictionsJustice P B Suresh Kumar after hearing arguments on behalf of the Centre state government and Kitex said he will pronounce his decision on September 2Advocate Blaze K Jose appearing for Kitex said he argued before the court that the government can impose the 84 days gap between the two doses if someone is availing the vaccine through themHowever if a person was paying for it from his pocket he should be allowed to take the dose after four weeks which is the minimum prescribed gap between two doses for the vaccine to be effective Jose told the courtHe said the 84 days gap was prescribed for maximum efficacy but the second dose can be taken after four weeks also though the efficacy may not be that highJose said that he told the court that people going abroad including athletes participating in Olympics were allowed to take the second dose after four weeks from the first and they did not have to wait for 84 daysThe Centre has opposed the plea by contending that the 84-day gap between two doses of COVISHIELD was fixed to increase the efficacy of the vaccine as recommended by the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 NEGVAC and was also based on the technical inputs provided by the National Immunization Technical Advisory Group NITAG PTI HMP ROH ROH