Study: A Booster Dose Of Covid Vaccine Is Required To Fight Omicron

According to a study conducted by the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune, neutralising antibody levels in those who were fully vaccinated against the coronavirus with Covishield, Covaxin, or a combination of both — Covishield as the first dose and Covaxin as the second dose – waned after six months in those who were fully vaccinated against the coronavirus with Covishield as the first dose and Covaxin.

However, according to Dr Pragya Yadav, a scientist at the NIV, the heterologous vaccination regimen of administering the first dose of Covishield, followed by the second dose of Covaxin, provided a very good neutralising response against Delta and other Variants of Concern. The findings of the study were recently published in the Journal of Travel Medicine.

The study included three cohorts: a heterologous group of 18 people who were accidentally given the first dose of Covishield and the second dose of Covaxin in Uttar Pradesh, and two homologous groups of 40 people who were given two doses of Covishield or Covaxin.

Each of the three groups was closely observed. “When we compared the three cohorts in June of last year, the heterologous vaccination regimen of administering the first dose of Covisheid, followed by the second dose of Covaxin, showed a very good neutralising antibody response against Delta and other Variants of Concern,” Yadav said.

In December of last year, we looked at them again. With regard to Omicron, she said, all cohorts showed a significant reduction in neutralising antibody levels. She went on to say that the findings of the study have so far highlighted the need for a booster dose in the context of the Omicron variant.

“The gradual shift of VoCs from Delta to Delta-sub-lineage to Omicron, as well as the observed waning of immunity after six months of vaccination, has sparked discussions about developing a novel vaccination strategy. The current investigation’s findings contribute significantly to such debates. Regardless of the findings of this study, any surveillance system should include longitudinal monitoring for breakthrough infections “according to the research.

From January 10, India began administering COVID-19 vaccine precaution doses to healthcare and frontline workers, as well as those aged 60 and older with comorbidities. The comorbidity clause was recently removed by the Union health ministry, making everyone over the age of 60 eligible for the Covid vaccines’ precaution dose.

Children aged 12-14 years have been vaccinated since March 16.

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