E-Paper
Covishield dosage gap to stay at 12-16 weeks: Govt
The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization had on March 20 suggested a reduction in the gap between the two Covishield doses from the existing 12-16 weeks to 8-16 weeks.
The interval between two doses of the Covishield vaccine against Covid-19 will remain at 12-16 weeks, the health ministry has decided, despite an expert panel’s recommendation that the gap should be reduced to 8-16 weeks.
“The health ministry is not revising the gap between the two doses of Covishield for the time being,” a central government official aware of the matter said on condition of anonymity.
The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization had on March 20 suggested a reduction in the gap between the two Covishield doses from the existing 12-16 weeks to 8-16 weeks.
“There was no immediate felt need to revise the dose regimen,” another official said. declining to be named. “Since it is a dynamic situation, there is always a possibility of policy change in the future based on what the situation warrants at that point in time. For now, the existing gap stays.”
When Covid-19 inoculation started in India in January 2021, the gap between two doses of Covishield was 4-6 weeks, which was later increased to 6-8 weeks. In May, the government further increased the gap of the most used Covid-19 vaccine in the country from 12-16 weeks on recommendations of the NTAGI, which this month said the gap be shrunk to 8-16 weeks.
When the gap between doses was increased earlier, there were allegations that it was done to tide over a shortage, which the central government denied. The interval was increased for better efficacy, it has said then.
Vaccine supplies are now in surplus in India.
The Serum Institute of India locally manufactures the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine under the brand name Covishield. It is one of the two Covid-19 vaccines being used in the national Covid-19 immunisation programme.
An expert group of the World Health Organization recently recommended an interval of 8-12 weeks for the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. On March 15, the strategic advisory group of experts on immunization issued these interim recommendations for use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.
In India, revising the gap will not serve much purpose, an expert said.
“As of now, the gap that is approved is working well for India,” said Dr NK Mehra, senior immunologist, formerly with New Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences. “Instead of revising the gap, the focus should be on covering the unvaccinated eligible population, and starting booster doses for all.”
