NEW DELHI : The uptake of vaccine booster doses remains poor across India, Dr N.K. Arora, chairman of the covid-19 working group of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI), said, even as the government started a 75-day campaign on Friday to provide free boosters to everyone above 18 at its vaccination centres.
Till now, boosters have been free only for healthcare workers, frontline workers and those above 60. In an interview, Arora said only 40% of people older than 60 had received booster doses and only 5-7% of people aged 18-59.
Arora added that India has begun working on next-generation covid-19 vaccines. Edited excerpts: What happens six months after the booster dose? It is very difficult to predict.
The virus is evolving. We have started working on next-generation vaccines, which should provide wider coverage and try to cover variants which come in future.