AIIMS chief: Don’t waste vaccine in booster doses

Director at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Dr Randeep Guleria has said that vaccines should not be wasted in the name of booster doses. A large number of unvaccinated people, including youth must be given at least one dose on a priority basis to protect the country from a third Covid-19 wave. Some cities like Delhi have had a number of waves, so it is not a matter of second or third waves, anymore.

The eminent expert in pulmonary medicine advised that social distancing and wearing masks along with vaccines are still the most potent measures to contain the spread of the pandemic. Herd immunity does not control pandemics like Covid, he added.

In a tete-a-tete with Deccan Chronicle on the sidelines of the 41st Foundation Day celebrations of GITAM Deemedto-be-University here on

Saturday, Dr. Guleria said the governments must take aggressive measures like mini-lockdowns, tracking, testing, and blocking the area soon after they notice an increase in positive cases. The governments should be vigilant and continue with testing on a daily basis and cover the maximum suspected people to get a real ground-level picture of the pandemic spread.

Trials are underway for three to four vaccines on children. The Pfizer vaccine was approved for children in the US,

and would be available in the country soon, he said. “The state government is doing well in Covid-management. It must ensure that all people are vaccinated,” Dr. Guleria advised.

The rise in urbanisation, loss of animal habitats particularly cohabitation with humans are key factors for pandemics. Around 60 candidate vaccines are for human trials and over 180 in preclinical trials, he said while adding that AIIMS received 100 of 178 proposals on Covid-related research.