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Home > Mumbai > Mumbai News > Article > Person with booster dose unlikely to get infected or pass virus on to others Expert

Person with booster dose unlikely to get infected or pass virus on to others: Expert

Updated on: 07 December,2021 08:00 AM IST  |  Mumbai
Vinod Kumar Menon | vinodm@mid-day.com

Virologist Dr Jacob John shares his views on the need for a booster dose, its safety and efficacy and the role of the global pharma industry

Person with booster dose unlikely to get infected or pass virus on to others: Expert

People wait to get COVID-19 vaccine doses at BYL Nair Hospital. Pic/Ashish Raje

While the discussion is on about initiating a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose even before clinical trial results are out, especially in view of the new variant—Omicron, several healthcare experts in the country expressed concern about administering booster doses from the available stock, especially when a large number of population, especially the paediatric to adolescent population, are not yet vaccinated.


Virologist Dr Jacob John from Vellore, Tamil Nadu, in an interview with mid-day, talked about the areas of concern—from how safe booster doses are to the time duration of taking the same, to global pharma industries’ keen interest in supplying booster doses.


Dr Jacob John, virologistDr Jacob John, virologist


Amid Omicron threat and calls for boosters, do you feel India should opt for booster dose, and why? 
While more doses sold will profit vaccine manufacturers, the call for booster doses came from scientists including myself. The new variant, Omicron, spreads very efficiently and partly overcomes vaccine-induced immunity. The higher the immunity level, the more effective it is against infection, even with variants. A booster will definitely increase the immunity level and lead to development of long-lasting antibody secreting cells. In fact, even in the absence of new variants, booster dose is good, as a person with booster dose is unlikely to get infected or pass it on to others. 

A study published in Lancet stated that a booster dose of six COVID-19 vaccines can strengthen immune responses in fully vaccinated people. What is your view on this? 
The rule is you cannot take the second booster without the first booster, and we have to monitor the effects after the first one before considering any further ones. If the effect of the first booster lasts five years, then we do not require a booster during that time. In other words, the need and timing of the second booster depend on the first booster response and the duration of its effect. 

Is a booster dose required for every new variant? 
No. One booster will suffice for any fresh variants for a long time. Whether or not more boosters are required will depend on monitoring the longevity of immunity. 

How safe is it for people to keep getting vaccinated?
Once a vaccine is safe, the whole vaccination schedule is safe. Normal vaccination schedule is two or three doses at short intervals (one to two months) and a booster after six months to an year. All vaccinologists know that without at least one booster, you don’t get the best value from vaccination. Three, four or five doses spread over time does not increase risk of adverse event following immunisation (AEFI), unless someone shows an allergic reaction which is extremely uncommon. 
Protection is the need of the day and when vaccines are available, we should not be stingy. Companies getting profit is not to be a factor when protection is desired. Of course, companies should fix price balancing all factors, especially during epidemics. 

The vaccine data from several parts of the country is a matter of concern with a large part of the population either not vaccinated or not keen to take vaccines. What is your view on this?
People are intelligent. They read the entire situation and messages from various sources and choose the best option for themselves. Why is authentic information and rationale not given out? The lack of transparency on information of serious AEFI has made a lot of people suspect that the government is hiding bad news. Good health education is possible but our system does not seem to do that well enough.

The vaccination programme for children has not started yet. How can the government ensure their safety?
Safety has two parts: safety from infection and rare severe diseases and safety from AEFI. Vaccine safety is the crux. When vaccine safety is assured, children must be vaccinated. 

Why is the world panicking with the emergence of Omicron, especially when it is not leading to severity?
You are not panicking and neither am I. Who is panicking? Caution and designing barriers are wise; they do not amount to panic. 

Do you think it is in the global pharma industry’s interest to take advantage of the situation by pumping in doses?
Boosters are necessary for human welfare. Companies may use the opportunity but they did not create the situation. If companies invest in taking risks, we should not grudge that they’re also benefitting. 

Why is the cure using therapeutic drugs, for example antiviral medications, put on the back burner? 
There is prevention/control and there is diagnosis/treatment. Vaccines apply to the former. Drugs apply to the latter.  There will be no backburner problem when you deal with either with the right tools of intervention.

24 Nov 
Day Omicron was first detected

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