SII Seeks Approval For Covishield Vaccine As Booster Dose Amid Omicron Variant Concerns
Mumbai: Serum Institute of India (SII) has sought approval of India’s drug regulator for COVID-19 vaccine as a booster dose, citing adequate stock of vaccine in the country, officials told ANI on Thursday.
According to officials, this demand has been made due to the emergence of a new coronavirus variant ‘Omicron’. Serum Institute of India is the first Indian company to seek approval for a COVID19 booster dose.
The Union Government has also informed Parliament that the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization and the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 are considering the scientific evidence on booster doses.
States such as Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka and Kerala have also urged the central government for a booster dose amid concerns about another omicron.
Recently, in an interview with a media organisation, Adar Poonawalla, Chief Executive Officer, SII said that Oxford scientists may come up with a new vaccine that will act as a booster against this new variant in six months’ time.
The new Omicron version was first reported by South Africa to the World Health Organization (WHO) on 24 November. According to WHO, its high number of mutations in the spike protein can make it more transmissible than all previous strains.
South African medical officials have reported that the variant was found in fully vaccinated individuals and that cases are mild.
(With ANI Inputs)
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