India must use more vaccines in drive, allow boosters to those willing: Experts

India's basket of approved Covid-19 vaccines has expanded to nine, but the government's vaccination drive remains largely dependent on only two - Covishield and Covaxin. This has prompted experts to say that authorities should start using the other approved vaccines by allowing a booster shot to all those willing to take it.

"Data shows that in people who have taken Covishield, the protein vaccine Covovax works better as a booster than another dose of Covishield. In spite of being made and licensed in India, it has not been approved as a booster," said Shahid Jameel, virologist and director of Trivedi School of Biosciences at Ashoka University. "This is not following science."

Jameel said boosters should be opened up to all adults who are willing. "There is also some news that millions of doses in India are nearing expiry. If true, this is a sheer waste," he said. India has so far approved Covishield, Covaxin, Sputnik V, ZyCoV-D, Covovax, Corbevax, Sputnik Light, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson (J&J).

Moderna and J&J have not yet launched their vaccine in India. Zydus Cadila's vaccine is yet to make its entry in the private market. The company got approval in August. As reported by ET, the launch of the vaccine got delayed due to issues in scaling up production at its plant in Ahmedabad.

Earlier this month, the company said it has started supplying to the government. "Zydus will first complete its supplies to the government and then approach the private market," a person in the know told ET. The company seems to be focusing on a vaccine for children.

Russia's Sputnik V, which initially faced production hurdles, has not found enough takers. "Sputnik Light has also not sparked high demand," an executive at a hospital said. Corbevax and Covovax are also yet to offer their supplies to private players.

"What's the point of expanding the basket of vaccines if a consumer cannot use them," asked a public health expert. Anoop Misra, chairman, Fortis C-Doc, a Delhi-based hospital, said, "It is concerning to see the decline of vaccinations, including boosters. For this, clearly more efforts are needed, and the current lot of vaccines - possibly surplus at most sites - should be utilised in the best possible manner."

However, officials say they are not at fault. "Approval of vaccines does not mean that these vaccines have to necessarily be used in the public health programme. There is only a small fraction of people who have not taken a primary dose of vaccine. At this point there is no proposal to procure the new vaccines," said an official.