Booster shots have begun to be rolled out in several developed nations around the world as vaccine makers say a third dose of the Covid-19 vaccine is required to keep immunity up, especially in certain sections.
In the United States, the Biden administration has okayed a third shot eight months after the second for everyone. The booster shots come at the cost of several developing and low-income nations who are still struggling to vaccinate their populations with even one dose.
In India, the largest vaccine maker Serum Institute of India’s Adar Poonawalla told ET Now that a third dose is ‘unethical’. Adar Poonawalla’s comments come weeks after his father and SII’s Chairman Cyrus Poonawalla said a third dose of the vaccine is a ‘must’ and should be given six months after the second dose.
“I think what we meant in his comments was that maybe some very vulnerable sections could do with booster shots”, says Adar.
He says there is no evidence so far that a third dose is required and it has not been recommended officially. While vaccine makers like Pfizer and Moderna have pushed for a booster shot saying vaccine efficacy wanes over time, the scientific jury is still out.
