Unethical to give Covid-19 booster doses now: Adar Poonawalla
Darpan News Desk IANS, 17 Sep, 2021 11:18 AM
Bengaluru, Sep 17 (IANS) Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla on Friday said that it was unethical to start giving the third booster dose of Covid vaccine to someone when others in certain countries and populations have not even got two doses for full vaccination.
"For example, only 2 to 3 per cent of developing world countries have received vaccines, while it has gone up to 40 to 50 per cent in the developed world.
"The third dose of vaccine is not right, at least till significant part of the other countries get 2 doses and then, of course, we look into third dose or an annual booster shot or something like that," he said at a media interaction along with Biocon chief Kiran Majumdar Shaw after announcing the strategic partnership forged between the Biocon Biologics Ltd (BBL) and the Serum Institute Life Sciences (SILS).
Poonawala said that the "jury is still out there on the third dose".
"Maybe some very vulnerable sections, immuno-compromised people could do with some booster shots. There is no evidence to show Covishield requires a third dose. Some people may have taken it... we have not recommended it yet," he said.
The government and drug controller's office will have to take a decision on the third booster dose based on data and cases as times goes on and including how effective the vaccine is on the Delta virus variant, he added "I know some vaccines in the West recommending the third dose because the antibody response has dropped a little, but we will wait and see, the goal is to give two doses to everyone and then look at three doses as a booster," he said.
"We are fortunate in India being in the developing world, having many Indian manufacturers... they have been able to give the population vaccines. But, if we didn't have them in India, we would be in the same position as African countries who have not been able to get vaccines," Poonawalla added.
Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Balbir Singh Rajewal told the media here after the day-long deliberations with the political parties, except the BJP, that they had told the political parties not to hold big rallies till elections in the state are announced.
Naqvi further stated that the long-pending demand of Kartarpur Corridor has been fulfilled and the government has also decided to start the 'Gurudwara circuit train' that will take passengers on a pilgrimage across the country.
Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait on Wednesday announced that they will continue the peaceful protest here and will not obstruct any official day to day activities. He said that farmers across the state will continue the agitation on the lines of ongoing protests at the Delhi borders.
The drug money is allegedly linked with the seizure of 17 kg heroin, which was recovered by the police in Amritsar (Rural) on August 26 after arresting Ranjit Singh, alias Sonu.
The demands included an FIR and strict action against SDM Ayush Sinha, who on August 28 instructed the police to beat the protesting farmers. A video-clip of Sinha ordering the force to smash the farmers' heads had stirred a row after it went viral on social media.
