Covishield: Gap between two doses extended to 12-16 weeks

New Delhi: The government has accepted the COVID-19 Working Group's recommendation for extending the gap between the two doses of the Covishield vaccine from 6-8 weeks to 12-16 weeks, the Union health ministry said, while announcing the extension on Thursday.

However, no change has been suggested for the dosage interval for Covaxin, it said.

"Based on the available real-life evidences, particularly from the UK, the COVID-19 Working Group agreed for increasing the dosing interval to 12-16 weeks between two doses of Covishield vaccine. No change in interval of Covaxin vaccine doses was recommended," the ministry said.

The present gap between two doses of Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, is 6-8 weeks.

"The recommendation of the COVID-19 Working Group was accepted by the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC), headed by Dr V K Paul, Member (Health), Niti Aayog, in its meeting on May 12, 2021," the ministry said.

The health ministry has now advised states and union territories to ensure second dose of Covishield to beneficiaries within this stipulated time interval of 12-16 weeks after first dose.

Paul at a press conference said that extending the gap between the vaccine's two doses was a science-based decision taken on the recommendations of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI).

Explaining the reasons behind the extension, he said according to studies, initially the interval between two doses of Covishield was 4-6 weeks but then as more data became available, secondary analysis showed increasing the dosage interval to 4-8 weeks can have some advantage.

The UK by that time had already extended it to 12 weeks and the World Health Organisation (WHO) also had said the same, but many nations still did not change the dosage pattern, Paul said.

"At that time, our science-based technical committee anchored by ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) along with the DBT (Department of Biotechnology) by looking at the data available felt breakthrough infections may increase if the gap is increased (to 12 weeks). So, in good faith, based on their capability, without any pressures, they increased the dosage interval to 4 to 8 weeks, he said.

The issue was reviewed periodically again and again, Paul said.

The NTAGI has also suggested that those having laboratory test proven SARS-CoV-2 illness should defer COVID-19 vaccination for six months after recovery and pregnant women may be offered the choice to take any vaccine, the sources said.

Also, all lactating women are eligible to receive the COVID 19 vaccines any time after delivery, the panel suggested.

According to the Union Health Ministry's current protocol, vaccine is to be taken four to eight weeks after recovery from COVID-19 infection and pregnant and lactating women are not to be administered the shots.

Also, COVID-19 patients who have been given anti-SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma may defer COVID-19 vaccination for three months from the day of discharge from hospital, the recommendations stated.

Meanwhile, the wait for a single-dose Sputnik V Coronavirus vaccine is likely to be over as the vaccine is all set to be available in the market by next week.

In another major development, the government has decided to procure FDA, WHO approved foreign vaccine to vaccinate every single citizen of the country as the government on Thursday claimed that 216 crore doses of different foreign vaccines would be available in the country between August to December this year.

While speaking at the daily press briefing Niti Aayog member VK Paul said, "The first batch of Sputnik V vaccine has arrived and more will be arriving from Russia. I'm happy to say that we're hopeful that it'll be available in the market next week. We're hopeful that the sale of the limited supply that has come from there (Russia), will begin next week."

Further supply will also follow, Paul said, adding that Sputnik V will be produced in India from July onwards. The country is also planning to produce 15.6 crore doses of the Russian Covid vaccine. Dr Reddy's Laboratories is the Indian partner of the Russian vaccine.

As per Paul, the production of Sputnik V vaccine would begin in July and it is estimated that 15.6 crore doses would be manufactured in that period.

The government has also claimed that 75 crore doses of Covishield would be available in India for vaccination between August to December.

Apart from Covishield, other vaccines that would be available in the country by December include 55 crore doses of Covaxin, 30 crore doses of Bio E sub unit vaccine, 5 crore doses of Zydus Cadila DNA vaccine, 20 crore doses of Novavax, 10 crore doses of BB Nasal vaccine, 6 crore doses of Gennova mRNA vaccine, 15.6 crore doses of Sputnik vaccine.

Notably, so far only three vaccines have been approved to be sold in the country — Covaxin, Coveshield and Sputnik V. While Sputnik V has been approved to be imported from Russia by Dr Reddy's, but is yet to be widely available in India.

Paul also said that the central government and Bharat Biotech are willing to invite other companies which want to produce Covaxin to help scale up its production.

People say that Covaxin should be given to other companies for manufacturing. I am happy to say that Covaxin manufacturing company (Bharat Biotech) has welcomed this when we discussed it with them," Paul said.

"Under this vaccine, a live virus is inactivated and this is done only in BSL3 (Biosafety Level 3) labs. Not every company has this. We give an open invitation to companies who want to do this. Companies that want to manufacture Covaxin, should do it together. The centre will assist so that capacity is increased," Paul said.