"The point here is that I do not want to make predictions just yet because predictions should not be made till the time we have enough data. But what we know for certain is that if you boost with three doses, you are definitely enhancing protection in your system, at least for five to six months," he stated. 

It will help in reducing hospitalisation if at all there are going to be like what happened with the Delta variant, Poonawalla noted. 

 He said the clarity on Omicron would be coming in a month or so, and it would be known how effective the current vaccines are against the new virus. 

 "One thing is certain that Omicron is definitely more infectious and will spread very quickly across the globe. But how severe it is going to be and how many hospitalisations it is going to cause is something that we are going to wait and watch. The initial reports show that it is quite mild. However, we should not take it lightly," Poonawalla said. 

He added, "We will also get a lot of clarity on how effective are the existing licenced vaccines on Omicron. But one thing is certain that boosting is a proven strategy, which will definitely get your antibodies up and give you some protection, it is never going to be zero. So, I think the policymakers have to decide the risk-reward of doing that. There really is no downside to doing it. So, we are waiting on the government decision on how they see this". 

 Poonawalla noted that preventive steps like booster dose can be thought of in the current situation when there is a lack of clarity about the new variant. He said that the government, on its part, has made adequate provisions for any eventuality. 

 "The world is now better prepared for the third, fourth waves because we have learned what to do and what not to do. So, we are in a far better position today, and I do not think they should be panicking with Omicron and other variants coming about where today already, you are going to seethe sentiment change a little bit, but I do not think we should panic just yet. We should wait and watch how things unfold," he noted.

 Poonawalla stressed that it was important to vaccinate the majority of the population to stop more waves in the future. He also pitched for simpler policies so that new projects and factories can be put up at a faster pace. "I think there is still a lot of work to be done there. If you look back, the government and the industry worked so well in the last 15 months to get all these vaccines licensed, reviewed. I mean, there were no shortcuts taken... Traditionally, it was taking us five years to license a vaccine," he stated.