4th Dose Of Covid Vaccine Not Needed: Expert

Coronavirus has not changed so much…

New Delhi: Former head of epidemiology and communicable diseases at the Indian Council of Medical Research, Dr. Raman Gangakhedkar, has discounted the need for the fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine given the current evidence about the virus and its variants.

If a person has taken a third dose, it means his T-cell immune response has been trained thrice, Dr. Gangakhedkar said on Tuesday.

"The core virus has not been changed so much that a new vaccine would be needed, so try and have trust in our T-cell immune response till now," he said.

"Looking at the current evidence, it is not that big that there is any need for the fourth dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.

According to Dr. Gangakhedkar, old people and those suffering from chronic morbidities should continue to take precautions such as wearing masks.

"For the fourth dose, I think, there is still time, because if any new variant comes, it would not be from the SARS-COV2 family.

It could be completely a new variant and when it comes, we will think about it as our genomic surveillance is still going on. No need to get worried now," he said.

Dr. Gangakhedkar appealed to follow two things, including taking a precautionary dose and taking all the precautions for the people who are in a vulnerable group.