Queries over India's move to double vaccine dosing gap

NEW DELHI • India's main opposition party Congress yesterday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to double the gap between doses of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, asking whether it was prompted by a vaccine shortage.

Reuters had reported that the government had increased the gap without the agreement of the scientific group that it said recommended the move, citing three members of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) advisory body.

Congress leaders, including former party president Rahul Gandhi, said the government was trying to cover up a vaccine shortage. "India needs quick & complete vaccination," he tweeted.

The AstraZeneca shot, branded as Covishield, accounts for nearly 90 per cent of 257.5 million doses administered in India, where some states have curtailed vaccination over supply constraints.

The government said the NTAGI's working group initially recommended increasing the dosing interval to 12-16 weeks.

"As per the working group's recommendation, a dosing interval of a minimum three months between two doses of Covishield was recommended," the government said in a statement.

"We have a very open and transparent system where decisions are taken on scientific basis," said Dr N. K. Arora, chairman of the working group, a government statement said yesterday.

He said the decision to expand the gap was made to provide "flexibility" for those not be able to get the second dose at 12 weeks.

But NTAGI members said they had no data concerning the effects of a gap beyond 12 weeks, and Dr Arora also did not cite any studies in yesterday's statement from the federal health ministry.

India's Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said the country has a robust mechanism to evaluate data, and that deciding to increase the gap was based on science.

"It's unfortunate that such an important issue is being politicised!" he said in a tweet.

REUTERS