Decision to increase gap between Covishield doses based on scientific data: Indian health minister

2021-06-16 12:05:21 GMT2021-06-16 20:05:21(Beijing Time) Xinhua English

NEW DELHI, June 16 (Xinhua) -- India's federal health minister Harsh Vardhan said Wednesday that the decision to increase the gap between two doses of the Covishield COVID-19 vaccine was "transparent" and "based on scientific data."

The health minister's clarification came amid concerns that the intervals between the two doses of Covishield were widened, from 6-8 weeks to 12-16 weeks, without the support of the scientific group.

The decision was taken "in a transparent manner based on scientific data," Vardhan wrote on social media.

The minister also attached a statement from the government that quoted Dr. N K Arora, the chief of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI), on the subject.

In the official statement, Dr Arora was quoted citing a study by British health regulator Public Health England that "showed vaccine efficacy varied between 65 percent-88 percent when interval is 12 weeks."

"We have a very open and transparent system where decisions are taken on scientific basis," said Arora. Enditem

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