Corona vaccination: Experts suggest to increase the interval of corona vaccine to 12 to 8 weeks, citing Britain

Corona vaccination: The Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine has also written to the government that there is no need to give the vaccine to those who have been infected.

Covid-19 Vaccination: Association of India's two big public health experts has written a letter to the central government to reduce the interval of two doses of Kovidshield vaccine from 12 weeks to 8 weeks. The Indian Public Health Association and the Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine have written letters to the government in this regard. They argue that it would be right to do so to prevent the frequent mutations and infections.

The Indian Public Health Association and the Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine are the country's associations of community medicine and public health experts, who have written to the government to reduce the vaccine gap for the Kovidshield vaccine. According to him, when the vaccine trial started, the difference was four weeks, which seemed to be effective, but after that it was seen that the efficacy increases with the increase in time and the side effects are less. On this basis, the evidence base was there but when it was relaxed. This was the tab when new strains of the virus had not emerged and breakthrough infection was not taking place.

Expert said - reduce the interval between two vaccines

Dr Sanjay Rai, President of the Indian Public Health Association said – Studies are also coming, the UK had increased itself earlier. All the vaccine trials that AstraZeneca took place there, he also gave a publication on that which came of his trial. In which what was 4 weeks and the AFKC was 62%, then they found that if we widen the gap, then the AFKC increases and the side effects are less. On this basis, which was the evidence base, but if the delay happens now, then you are not protected.

Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine Dr Sunila Garg of the country's community medicine said – If you look at the initial trials which were done in England, then we saw that trial for 4 weeks and kept the same in India as well but as trials The results kept coming. Those who took the second dose after 12 weeks were seeing good results. Two purposes were being solved by this - one is more immuno conversion, second we will be able to vaccinate more population. Therefore, the gap between the two doses was increased. But the time we started this vaccination, we didn't have variants like alpha, beta, gamma and delta. And the vaccination that was made was made by Wuhan train, so as of today we have seen 80 percent of our cases are coming from the delta variant and when the delta variant has come to us.

UK also reduced the gap

But now mutations are coming out in the virus. At the same time, initially this difference was increased on the basis of evidence. But now there is evidence and it needs to be reduced according to the situation. The UK itself, which had widened the gap earlier, has narrowed it.

Indian Public Health Association President Dr. Sanjay Rai said – After the new virus that is coming, they have reduced the gap back because it was reducing the protection level. As long as both the doses are not being received and only after that dose good protection is available. It is believed that if it was reduced, then the global evidence that is being felt now that there is probably a gap of more than 12, then the person is not able to recover completely, so we have said to reduce it.

The Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine has also written to the government that there is no need to give the vaccine to those who have been infected. Also, there is a need to increase vaccination in rural and tribal areas. The Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine said on scientific basis that the gap was increased on the basis of earlier evidence. But now on the basis of the evidence that is there, the government should think of making a gap, which should be protected, as well as the risk of infection after the break through is reduced. Both these associations hope that the Government's National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization will consider this and work in this direction.

News is originally taken from: https://www.abplive.com/news/india/two-public-health-expert-groups-have-written-and-suggested-govt-to-decrease-gap-of-covishield-from-12-weeks-to-8-weeks-ann-1958878