India may look into vaccine interchangeability trial

India can look at initiating trials for interchangeability of various COVID-19 vaccine doses to reinforce the effectivity of vaccines and supply longer safety, stated a senior well being official on Monday.

Speaking about the opportunity of a interchangeable dose regime trial, NITI Aayog member (Health) V.K. Paul stated: “There is growing scientific interest in the matter worldwide and India too should look into it. This is a biological plausibility and if proven effective it could go a long way in enhancing faster coverage and acting as a better booster dose that can be offered for use.”

Dr. Paul, nevertheless, stated he wasn’t conscious of any particular dates for trial of the proposed regime.

“India is working at enhancing its vaccine coverage and by next month we will see a significant jump in the availability of vaccines. People must come forward and take the vaccines to ensure that we don’t allow any more waves in the country. Together we can beat this virus. We have to vaccinate and follow COVID-appropriate behaviour,” he stated.

N.K. Arora, chairperson of the Working Group of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation, stated vaccines have been by no means combined.

“Doses of different vaccine brands are administered as separate doses to complete the schedule. The purpose is improved immune effectiveness, safety and programmatic convenience. This is also called interchangeability. There is no talk of single dose for any vaccine. Vaccine tracking system will help in fine-tuning dose interval for maximum vaccine efficacy,” he stated.

India is but to clear the administering of various vaccines for the preliminary and booster doses although there are some research that recommend larger effectiveness of vaccination if doses are combined. India is at the moment providing Covishield, Covaxin and Sputnik V below its vaccination programme.