A booster dose of covaccine six months after the first two doses of anti-COVID-19 vaccination strengthens immunity against the worrying form (VOCs) of SARS-CoV-2, including Omicron, and provides protection against serious illness. This has been said in a study by ICMR and Bharat Biotech.
Dr. Pragya Yadav, Senior Scientist at the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, told PTI that most vaccines have at least 30 mutations within the target region due to the spread of Omicrons and the spread of vaccine-generated antibodies. Due to lack of effect, its spread increased and the infection spread again. He said that apart from this, in the case of other recognized vaccines also, reports of reduced effect of antibodies on the worrying form (VOC) of the virus have raised concerns around the world.
The study was conducted in January by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Bharat Biotech, the maker of the vaccine, and its results were published in the Journal of Travel Medicine on March 24. Another senior scientist at NIV, Dr. Gajanan Sakpal, said, “The study participants who were given a booster dose showed a higher antibody response to the B.1 and Voc-delta, beta and Omicron forms.”
He said this indicates that a booster dose of covaccine produces a virus neutralizing antibody response and effectively destroys several forms of SARS-CoV-2.
The government on Friday announced that people above the age of 18 years can take a precautionary dose of the anti-Covid-19 vaccine at private immunization centers from April 10.