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NEW DELHI : The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) on Wednesday said people wishing to travel abroad can shorten the government-stipulated nine-month gap between the second and booster dose of covid-19 vaccine. The recommendation was made to the Union health ministry, which is yet to make a formal announcement.
The panel of technical experts said individuals can take the booster dose as and when required by the country they are travelling to.
The move comes against the backdrop of many people going abroad for work.
“NTAGI has recommended the shortening of the gap of nine months between the second dose and booster dose for those who have to travel outside India for work and other business-related matters," a person aware of the matter said on condition of anonymity.
Queries mailed to the health ministry remained unanswered at the time of publication.
NTAGI is scheduled to meet again this week to review the data for immunization of children between 5-12 years of age for covid-19 and firm up protocols regarding vaccination.
The last two meetings remained inconclusive, with NTAGI experts yet to be convinced about the paediatric data available for vaccination.
Meanwhile, the drug regulator has approved Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin for children aged 6-12, Biological E.’s Corbevax for those aged 5-11, and Cadila’s ZyCoV-D for children above 12 years of age.
“There was no decision taken in the meetings of NTAGI held recently. The next meeting is likely to happen this week to review the data available for vaccination of children in the age group of 5-12 years," said a person with knowledge of the matter. “In other countries, children above 2 years have been inoculated. We want to analyze the data to understand what effect it will have on children even as it has been given the nod by the drug regulator," said the person.
Last month, Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya said the Centre will wait for a nod from NTAGI before giving the covid-19 vaccines to children in the age group of 5-12 years.
