A recent study has found that Covishield is more effective when administered as a booster after two doses of Covaxin as antibodies zoom six-fold, however, the case is not the same when the vaccines are reversed.
The study, submitted by Christian Medical College, Vellore, to the Drugs Controller General of India on Wednesday, is the first preliminary scientific evidence from India on mixing Covid-19 vaccines. Scientists have inferred that Covaxin is less effective as a booster with two doses of Covishield, The Indian Express reported.
Quoting a source, the IE report said that the increase in antibodies is “relatively lesser” in case where Covaxin is administered on those who were already jabbed with two doses of Covishield. However, the data related to the neutralising antibody and the T-cell response is expected to come next week.
The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI), advisory committee consisting of multidisciplinary groups of experts responsible for providing information to national governments that is used to make evidence-based decisions regarding vaccine and immunization policy, is expected to take a decision on administering a different vaccine as the third dose based on the final data from the study.
The government has opened precaution doses for all aged above 60 years and for children aged 12-17 years to boost the vaccination numbers, appealing to all eligible to take the shots.
Apart from Covishield and Covaxin, Biological-E’s long-awaited Corbevax vaccine has also joined the vaccination drive for the 12-14 age group. The government had extended an advance of Rs 1,500 crore to Biological-E for reserving 30 crore vaccine doses for supplies — this is expected to be used for vaccinating children in the days to come. There is also an increasing demand for opening precaution doses for all adults, an issue on which the government is deliberating and may take a call in a couple of months after examination, an official said.
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday chaired a high-level meeting in the wake of a humongous rise in the Covid-19 cases in China and South East Asia. Official sources told News18 that Mandaviya asked for a high level of alertness, aggressive genome sequencing and intensified surveillance. The meeting was attended by top health officials, including the health secretary, pharma secretary and the principal scientific adviser to the Government of India, sources added.
The meeting comes as China is seeing a comeback of Covid-19 cases led by an Omicron-led outbreak with the country on Wednesday reporting 3,290 fresh infections. China also huddled to free up hospital beds as the highly transmissible Omicron variant is posing a stern challenge to its zero-Covid strategy, resulting in the 17.5 million residents of the southern tech hub of Shenzhen being locked down and other cities also under tight restrictions.
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