India too should look into mixed dose regime trial, says NITI Aayog member
If confirmed efficient it may go a good distance in enhancing sooner protection: V.K. Paul
India might be initiating trials for interchangeability of various COVID-19 vaccines to be used to boost the effectivity of vaccines and supply longer safety, stated a senior well being official on Monday, whereas stating that there’s at present no particular time line projected for the trials.
Speaking about the potential of a mixed dose regime trial, NITI Aayog member (Health) V.K. Paul stated: “There is growing scientific interest in the matter world-wide 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, nonetheless, 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 had been by no means mixed.
“Doses of different vaccine brands are administered as separate doses to complete the schedule. 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 better effectiveness of vaccination if doses are mixed. India is at present providing Covishield, Covaxin and Sputnik V underneath its vaccination programme.