'No Need Of Booster Dose Now; Unlikely That We Will See A Huge Third Wave': AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria

AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria has explained that booster doses of Covid-19 vaccine are not required in India currently as the focus should be on expanding the vaccine coverage.

Dr Guleria also revealed that the possibility of a ‘huge third wave’ is ‘declining each passing day’, Indian Express reports.

“The vaccines are holding up, we are not seeing breakthrough infections causing a surge in our admissions, our sero-positivity rate is very high,” Dr Guleria’s statement was quoted by the publication.

He added, “All of these suggest that as of now, we really don’t need a booster dose. We may need it in the future, which is definitely there. But as of now we don’t need a booster dose.”

Dr Guleria assured that we are ‘well protected’ and reiterated that the focus should be on getting more and more people receive their Covid-19 vaccine doses.

He explained that there is lower vaccine hesitancy as the entire vaccination program is progressing. Dr Guleria reiterated that the vaccines are holding out with respect to preventing severe disease, hospitalisation and death as well.

“It is very unlikely that we will see a huge third wave,” the AIIMS Director quipped.

However, he opined that the disease will become an endemic and hence we will continue to have cases but they will not be of the magnitude witnessed during the first and second Covid-19 waves in the country.