An ICMR study shows that newborns don’t require immediate vaccination for hepatitis B after birth as they protected by maternal antibodies. This study supports the government's pragmatic approach to vaccinating babies born at home starting at six weeks instead of at birth. A large percentage of babies in India are born at home and hence, newborns cannot be reached for immunization immediately after birth.
Therefore, the draft National Immunization Policy recommends a pragmatic HBV vaccination schedule in which the vaccine is given at birth for institutional deliveries and at 6 weeks to children born outside such health-care settings. This study intended to examine the efficacy of hepatitis B vaccination in those who were vaccinated at birth (within 48 h of delivery) and those who were vaccinated thereafter. The secondary objective of the study was to look at hepatitis b surface antibody…
