Bengaluru: Questions are being raised on the efficiency of the vaccine as Karnataka prepares to give second dose to almost 13,594 health workers.
The world Heath Organisation (WHO) had released a statement on February 10, on how to use Astra Zeneca-Oxford University Covid vaccine (Covishield). WHO had recommended an interval of 8 to 12 weeks between the doses. The Serum Institute of India had also said that the vaccination will be more effective if there is a three-month gap between the two doses.
Health Departments officials had inquired about this matter to the Government of India and the Drug Controller of India had approved of the 0-28 schedule for the two doses and the state cannot change to a later date.
As per a report given in Deccan Herald, one of the officials working closely with the immunisation programme mentioned that even though the WHO guidance says to wait 12 weeks before the second dose, it can also be administered after 4 weeks.
The official said that once the safety and the fact that the vaccine can produce antibodies were established, the government gave the approval as their main focus is to prevent the covid deaths and reduce the severity of the diseases, which a vaccine helps in reducing.
Another official said that the state has to follow the protocols by the government. If the state decides to reschedule the second dose of vaccination, the entire vaccination programme will be affected, spilling the target over to the next month.
As the manufacturers did not have a lot of time to check the stability of the vaccine, it has an expiry date of May with a shelf life of only six months.
