Vaccine shortage: NTAGI recommends increasing gap between two `Covishield' doses
The government panel has recommended those testing positive for the Covid-19 to defer vaccination for six months after recovery,
By Newsmeter Network Published on 13 May 2021 6:22 AM GMT
New Delhi: National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) has recommended increasing the gap between two doses of Covishield to 12-16 weeks. It was 6-8 weeks earlier.
No change has been suggested for dosage interval for Covaxin - the second vaccine in use in India. The increase in dosage interval for Covishield comes amid an acute shortage of doses after Serum Institute struggled to keep pace with demand.
Earlier in March, the Centre had increased the gap between two doses of the Serum Institue of India (SII) vaccine from 28 days to six to eight weeks. Also, the government panel has recommended those testing positive for the Covid-19 to defer vaccination for six months after recovery.
Meanwhile Hyderabad based Bharat-Biotech to conduct clinical trials of 'Covaxin' on kinds. The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has accepted the recommendation of the Subject Expert Committee (SEC) and accorded permission to conduct the Phase II and III clinical trials of `Covaxin' on people in the age group 2 to 18 years.
Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech International, (BBIL) had proposed to carry out a Phase- II/III clinical trial of Covaxin in the age group of 2 to 18 years. The trial will be conducted on 525 healthy volunteers.
In the trial, the vaccine will be given by intramuscular route in two doses at day 0 and day 28. As a rapid regulatory response, the proposal was deliberated in the Subject Expert Committee (SEC) (COVID-19) on May 11. The Committee after detailed deliberation recommended for grant of permission to conduct proposed Phase II/III clinical trial to certain conditions. The trial is expected to be conducted on 525 subjects at various sites, including AIIMS-Delhi, AIIMS-Patna.
