84-day gap between Covishield doses provides best protection: Govt to Kerala HC

The statement was mentioned in the Union govt’s counter-affidavit, as it was replying to a writ petition by Kochi-based Kitex Garments Ltd. Kitex Garments sought a directive to the Kerala government to allow it to administer the second dose of Covishield to its workers before the completion of the 84-day dose gap.

The Union govt on Friday submitted to the Kerala high court that the duration of 84 days between the first and second days of Serum Institute’s vaccine ‘Covishield’ is providing the best protection against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

Two doses of Covishield are administered at a gap of 12 to 16 weeks at present in India. (Bloomberg)

The statement was mentioned in the Union govt’s counter-affidavit, as it was replying to a writ petition by Kochi-based Kitex Garments Ltd. Kitex Garments sought a directive to the Kerala government to allow it to administer the second dose of Covishield to its workers before the completion of the 84-day dose gap.

Kitex Garments said in its petition that over 5,000 of its workers already received the first vaccine dose and it is arranging for the second dose for nearly ₹93 lakhs, but the garment company is unable to administer it because of the dose gap restriction. Advocate Blaze K Jose, appearing for Kitex, told news agency PTI on Tuesday that he argued before the Kerala high court that the Union govt can impose the mandatory 84-day gap between the doses if people were availing the vaccine through them.

However, if people are paying it from their pocket, they should be allowed to take the dose after four weeks, which is the minimum prescribed gap between the Covishield doses, advocate Jose further told the court.

On Friday, the Union govt’s affidavit said India’s vaccination drive is built on “scientific and epidemiological evidence” and the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) guidelines and global best practices. It said the dose interval underwent revisions based on available and emerging scientific evidence mentioned above with the overall guidance of the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration (NEGVAC’s) for Covid-19.

“This is based on the technical opinion that the duration of 84 days between 1st and 2nd doses of Covishield is providing the best protection against Covid-19, ” the Union govt’s affidavit read and said the grounds advanced by Kitex Garments in its petition were false and frivolous and deserve to be dismissed.

However, the Union govt told the high court that it had allowed administering the second dose before the prescribed time period of 12-16 weeks in certain cases. These included people who are seeking to travel abroad for education, employment or were a part of the Indian contingent to the Tokyo Olympics 2020. “As per the evidence available, the immunity provided by two doses of the Covishield vaccine with intervals less than 12-16 weeks would be better than partial vaccination,” the Union govt’s petition said.