Express News Service
BENGALURU: While some countries have started rolling out booster shots, and the jury in India is still out on this, Serum Institute of India’s CEO Adar Poonawalla termed it “unethical” to roll out a booster dose in the country when a big section of the population is yet to be administered both doses. Several people in other countries are yet to get their first dose.
Adar Poonawalla’s comments come weeks after his father and SII Chairman Cyrus Poonawalla said a third dose of the vaccine is a “must” and should be taken six months after the second dose. Clarifying his father’s statement during a press conference to announce the strategic alliance of SSI with Biocon, Adar said, “I think what he meant was some vulnerable sections could do with booster shots.
He said there is no evidence so far that a third dose is required, and it has not been recommended officially. Answering a question whether SSI is coming out with a booster shot, Adar said booster shots may be required annually down the line, but are not the need of the hour now.
He said, “It will be unethical to think of a booster shot now. However, the decision will be taken by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), based on data collected.” He said that Serum Institute will ramp up production of Covishield to 200mn doses a month by October. He also hinted that export restrictions on Covishield may be eased soon.
“There were some export restrictions temporarily, and rightly so, to take care of our nation’s need first. We will slowly ease it in the next month or two. We are coming close to a point where there is more than enough vaccine stock,” he explained. He expects easing of exports in the next couple of months.
