Expert panel suggests widening gap between Covishield doses

The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) has recommended increasing the gap between two doses of Covishield vaccine to 12-16 weeks, sources said on Thursday.

The current interval between the two doses of Covishield is four to eight weeks.

The team of experts, however, didn’t make any suggestion on the gap between the dosages of Bharat Biotech’s vaccine Covaxin.

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The panel has also recommended that pregnant woman may be allowed to choose their vaccine and lactating women can be given the shots any time after delivery.

The NTAGI has also stated that those having laboratory test proven SARS-CoV-2 illness should defer COVID-19 vaccination for six months after recovery.

The panel’s recommendations will be forwarded to the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19.

Covishield’s dosage interval was last changed in March from a gap of 28 days to six-eight weeks to ensure enhanced protection.

Officials of Covishield’s maker Serum Institute of India on Thursday said that the vaccine’s production will be ramped up to 10 crore doses from August onwards while the June-July production also may see a substantial rise.

Amid a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, several states are struggling not only to contain the spread of the infection and curing infected people, but also in procuring vaccines amid a severe crunch of doses. Even though 17.5 crore doses have been administered across the country, it has just covered 2.5 per cent of the population.

In view of the crisis, several states like Delhi, Maharashtra, Odisha, Kerala and Karnataka have floated tenders to procure vaccines from global suppliers.

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