Chennai, Dec 24  : Several doctors in Tamil Nadu, according to information available, are taking booster doses with allegations rife that they are taking the dose in utmost secrecy.

Sources in the health department told Bharathpost that many doctors are taking booster doses from private hospitals, however, a certain percentage are taking boosters from government hospitals themselves as they use the vials that remain unused in a slot.

A senior doctor at a private hospital in Chennai on conditions of anonymity while speaking to BPNS said, “Global studies in latest medical journals reveals that the antibody levels even after second doses of vaccines are much less and hence booster doses are necessary.”

Doctors also revealed that it was the doctor community who had taken the first dose of the vaccine and the duration of Covishield vaccines was low.

However the State Public Health Dr. T.S. Selvavinayagam while speaking to BPNS said, “ The Central government has approved only two doses of vaccine and taking more doses will be a violation of the Government of India norms.”

Doctors are of the opinion that they are having co-morbidities and waiting for government approval for long. A senior doctor who is the former Head of the Department of Medicine at a leading government medical college of Tamil Nadu while speaking to BPNS said, “We have waited for long for the government approval to booster doses. This will lead to us curtailing our work as we have several co-morbidities and require a booster dose.”

Interestingly many doctors are taking Covishield as a booster dose if they had taken Covaxin earlier and vice versa. Doctors said that mixing of two different vaccines has increased the antibody levels of the person.

Immunology studies conducted by the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) has shown better response to mixed vaccines and this has led to several doctors taking mixed vaccines.