Gap decision based on scientific data: Centre

New Delhi: Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday defended government's decision to increase the gap between Covishield doses and said it has been taken in a transparent manner based on scientific data. "India has a robust mechanism to evaluate data. Decision to increase the gap between administering 2 doses of Covishield has been taken in a transparent manner based on scientific data," Harsh Vardhan said on Twitter. The government's clarification comes amid claims that some scientists had not given consent for the increase in dosage interval. However, the Health ministry has said that discussions are underway to decide whether India should revert to four or eight-week interval for Covishield vaccine. The emerging evidence regarding efficacy of partial versus full immunisation is also being considered, the ministry said.

Clarifying government's stand on increasing the gap between Covishield doses, chairman of India's Covid-19 working group of NTAGI, Dr NK, Arora said the decision was taken "scientifically, giving paramount importance to health and protection of the community."

"The Covid Working Group took that decision, with no dissenting voice. This issue was then discussed threadbare at an NTAGI meeting, again with no dissenting notes. The recommendation was that the vaccine interval has to be 12 - 16 weeks," he asserted.

Dr Arora said that the earlier decision of four weeks was based upon the bridging trial data available then. He also cited that the increase in gap between two doses was based on studies that showed higher efficacy with increase in gap.

"Initial studies on Covishield were very heterogeneous. Some countries like the UK went for a dose interval of 12 weeks when they introduced the vaccine, in December 2020. While we were privy to this data, when we had to decide our interval, we went for four weeks interval based on our bridging trial data which showed good immune response," he said.