NTAGI to hold meeting on child immunisation, additional COVID-19 vaccine dose on Monday

By Shalini Bhardwaj
New Delhi [India], December 5 : The meeting of the National Technical Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) on issues of child immunisation and additional dose of COVID-19 vaccine to the immunocompromised will be held on Monday, said official sources.
As earlier reported by ANI, NTAGI will be coming up with comprehensive policies for both the additional COVID-19 vaccine dose and child immunisation against COVID-19.
There is a difference between the booster dose and the additional dose. The booster dose is given after a pre-defined period after the primary two doses have been given, while additional dose is given to those people who have a basic problem with their immune functions. In case they are not able to develop sufficient immunity to COVID-19, an additional dose is given with an aim to improve immunity levels.
This decision comes in view of the new Omicron variant of COVID-19 of which India has reported 21 cases so far.
On administration of booster doses, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya had recently informed the Lok Sabha that the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) and the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) were deliberating and considering scientific evidence related to this aspect.