Why Govt Recommended Revision In Second Dose Interval For Covishield?
New Delhi, 22 March 2021:
The central government on Monday wrote a letter to chief secretaries of states and administrators of union territories, asking them to increase the interval between the two doses of Covishield, one of the two Covid-19 vaccines being given across the country as part of nationwide inoculation drive.
The vaccination drive was launched on January 16 after India's drug regulator cleared AstraZeneca-Oxford University's Covishield - manufactured by Serum Institute of India (SII) - and domestically made Bharat Biotech's Covaxin. In the first phase of the vaccination drive, healthcare and frontline workers who interacted with Covid-19 patients were given the shots of the vaccines. In the second phase, which began on March 1, people above the age of 60 and 45+ with comorbidities were chosen for vaccination.
The Centre's today clarified that its advisory is only meant for Covishield and not Covaxin.
Why did the Centre take this decision?
In its communication sent to the states and union territories, the central government said that its National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) and National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration revisited the current interval period being followed across the country in view of the emerging scientific evidence.
During this meeting the recommendation, the two expert group revised the time interval to 4-8 weeks after the first dose, instead of earlier practiced interval of 4-6 weeks.
The Union health ministry accepted the recommendations of these two groups and advised the states and union territories to ensure the administration of second dose of Covishield to beneficiaries within 4-8 weeks of giving the first dose.
Why the time interval has been revised?
The Centre said that scientific evidence shows that protection is enhanced if the second dose of Covishield is administered between 6-8 weeks, but not later than stipulated period of eight weeks.
Pune-based SII, the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer in terms of numbers, partnered with the Oxford University to manufacture their Covid-19 vaccine in India.
The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) granted an emergency use approval (EUA) for Covishield in India in January this year. Doses of the vaccines were transported from Pune to multiple hubs in the country.
On Sunday, the central government placed orders for 120 million more doses of Covid-19 vaccines with SII and Bharat Biotech. Of the 120 million doses, 100 million will be of Covishield. The remaining will be of Covaxin.
India aims to give doses to 300 million people - healthcare workers, frontline workers and those at highest risk due to their age or comorbid conditions - by the end of July. But experts now believe as many people as possible should now be allowed to take the doses in order to head off this new wave of cases.
More than 4.50 crore vaccine doses have been administered through 7,33,597 sessions, as per the provisional report till 7 am on Monday. As on Day 65 of the vaccination drive (on Sunday), a total of 4,62,157 vaccine doses were given.Hindustan Times