A few days ago, it was being claimed in media reports that the gap between the two of Corona Vaccine Covishield to be implemented in India can be reduced. But now the government has made it clear that no consideration is being given to the decision to reduce the gap between doses. On Wednesday, a big expert of the government has given this information. He has also said that it was necessary to amend the case of students traveling for studies and those traveling internationally.
News agency Reuters said people vaccinated at private centers could soon be allowed to get their second shot in line with a court order. However, the government has rejected this claim. A 12-week wait is mandatory for the second shots of Covishield, which the government has put in place citing scientific studies that show higher efficacy with longer intervals.
Dr NK Arora, Chairman of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) Covid-19 Working Group, said, “There are some reports showing that the Center is bridging the vaccine gap, this is not correct. There cannot be different rules for different categories of people; It would be discriminatory and science doesn't work that way. In case of amendments for students traveling internationally for studies and others traveling internationally, there was a compelling reason to revise the guidelines."
He said, “Scientifically we are very firm on our decision at this point of time. But of course, this is a dynamic situation, and our experts will certainly look into it if data becomes available to support the benefits of bridging the gap in the future. The decision will be driven purely by science."
In May, the expert committee recommended increasing the interval for administering Covishield to 12-16 weeks from the earlier 6-8 weeks. Earlier this gap was 4-6 weeks.
