“Dynamic process”: Union Govt on revising the gap between two Covishield doses

Photo Credits: Reuters

With the talks widespread about reducing the gap between two doses of Covishield, according to the new findings by Public Health England, the Union Health Ministry on Friday stated the decision will be taken after experts carefully review and analyse the situation. Amid the recommendations by Indian experts about the Covid-19 recovered people do not require vaccine and can be kept away from the vaccination drive, the ministry confirmed that such arguments could present publicly.

However, for any decision adhering to alteration in the current guidelines, DR VK Paul NITI Aayog member (health) said, “This is a dynamic process. There is no hardcore ideology in science. Our experts will go through the latest developments and take a call.”

Presently, in India, the time span between the two Covishield doses has been increased to 12 – 16 weeks. The call was taken following the international studies which revealed the protection by the first dose lasted for a longer span of time.

However, based on the recent study by Public Health England, the protection by the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine may not be as long as identified earlier. After which, several countries like Northern Ireland have started reducing the gap from 10 to 12 weeks to 8 weeks.

Based on the findings of the new study, the first dose of Covishield has 33 percent efficacy for prevention against the delta variant of the virus and the second dose by 60 percent.

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