Editor's Pick: Centre opens up booster dose for all adults

India on Friday opened up precautionary vaccine doses – the third shot or booster – for all aged 18 years and above from April 10. The Union Health Ministry said all those who have completed nine months after the administration of the second dose will be eligible for the booster shot. “Precaution dose to be available to 18+ age group from April 10, 2022, at private vaccination centres,” the Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Twitter. He termed the extension of the vaccination drive an “extra layer of safety”. This is in addition to the ongoing free vaccination programme through government vaccination centres, including booster shots for health and frontline workers and those about 60 years old. In all, 2.29 crore Indians have received precaution jabs till date. According to the Health Ministry, about 96% of population 15 years and above have received at least one dose, while about 83% had received both doses. The decision on the precautionary jab comes even as India logged 1,109 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 4,30,33,067, while the active cases dipped to 11,492, according to Health Ministry data. Cases had dipped to triple digits but there’s been an uptick in some States. Kerala has reported 2,321 cases in the last week, accounting for nearly 30% of the country’s new cases along with an increase in positivity from 13.45% to 15.53%. This has prompted the Health Ministry to write to the State’s Health Secretary to monitor clusters of new cases, increasing testing and take required steps in areas with high positivity and step up genome sequencing of samples. This week, reports emerged from Maharashtra of the likely detection of the XE variant, a highly infectious variant of the coronavirus that is a genetic offshoot of the BA.1 and BA.2 Omicron variants. Though not associated with increased disease severity, it has been linked to a spike in infectivity in the U.K. and parts of Europe. However, Union Health Ministry officials and Maharashtra State officials do not agree with each other on whether it is indeed the XE variant. Meanwhile, a highly-placed official in Gujarat told The Hindu that a case of the XE variant has been found in the State. Officials at the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG), a network of labs that tracks sequences, and the Indian Health Ministry, are yet to confirm if it is an XE variant. With various States set to celebrate New Year festivals in April, the administration has to be on full alert to prevent another wave of the coronavirus. That’s why the opening up of the precautionary dose to all above 18 years is an important story Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Head over to our newsletter subscription page to sign up for Editor‘s Pick and more. 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The Union Health Ministry said all those who have completed nine months after the administration of the second dose will be eligible for the booster shot. “Precaution dose to be available to 18+ age group from April 10, 2022, at private vaccination centres,” the Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Twitter. He termed the extension of the vaccination drive an “extra layer of safety”. This is in addition to the ongoing free vaccination programme through government vaccination centres, including booster shots for health and frontline workers and those about 60 years old. In all, 2.29 crore Indians have received precaution jabs till date. According to the Health Ministry, about 96% of population 15 years and above have received at least one dose, while about 83% had received both doses. The decision on the precautionary jab comes even as India logged 1,109 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 4,30,33,067, while the active cases dipped to 11,492, according to Health Ministry data. Cases had dipped to triple digits but there’s been an uptick in some States. Kerala has reported 2,321 cases in the last week, accounting for nearly 30% of the country’s new cases along with an increase in positivity from 13.45% to 15.53%. This has prompted the Health Ministry to write to the State’s Health Secretary to monitor clusters of new cases, increasing testing and take required steps in areas with high positivity and step up genome sequencing of samples. This week, reports emerged from Maharashtra of the likely detection of the XE variant, a highly infectious variant of the coronavirus that is a genetic offshoot of the BA.1 and BA.2 Omicron variants. Though not associated with increased disease severity, it has been linked to a spike in infectivity in the U.K. and parts of Europe. However, Union Health Ministry officials and Maharashtra State officials [do not agree with each other]( on whether it is indeed the XE variant. Meanwhile, a highly-placed official in Gujarat told The Hindu that a [case of the XE variant has been found in the State](. Officials at the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG), a network of labs that tracks sequences, and the Indian Health Ministry, are yet to confirm if it is an XE variant. With various States set to celebrate New Year festivals in April, the administration has to be on full alert to prevent another wave of the coronavirus. That’s why the opening up of the precautionary dose to all above 18 years is an important story Was this newsletter forwarded to you? 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