Covid-19: India prioritises increasing vaccine supply over mix-and-match doses

India hasn’t yet tapped into the study of mixing vaccines, although the country has been struggling to expand the vaccination drive

After scientific studies have indicated some success in the mixing of two different types of Covid-19 vaccines, countries have started weighing upon it. India, however, has decided to prioritise increasing the supply.

In a study led by Oxford University and supported by another study in Spain, people were given a dose of Pzifer’s vaccine followed by the second dose of AstraZeneca, or vice versa. It was observed that those people showed lesser post-vaccination symptoms than those who got both doses of the same vaccine. Since there’s a shortage of vaccines right now, several countries have started adopting this option.

In the second wave of coronavirus in India, the central government and scientists are focusing on efficient management and quick supply of vaccines to the states.

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“We have discussed the new scientific evidence, but there is no plan as such to carry out any related research in the country, which will essentially mean conducting clinical trials in people with two different vaccines,” Samiran Panda, chief epidemiologist at the ICMR and a senior member of the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19, told The New Indian Express. A top Union Health Ministry official also confirmed the information.

“From an immunology viewpoint, mixing two types of vaccines is not a problem. But studies show some more reactogenicity or minor side effects,” virologist Shahid Jameel told the publication.

After discussing the new study, experts want to prioritise the supply of vaccines in the country and control the second wave. “Whether it can or should be explored in India will depend upon the basket of vaccines available in India. At this point, we should not divert our attention from increasing vaccine supply,” he said.

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Since Russia’s Sputnik V has been made available in India, the people have three vaccines to choose from. However, the supply has gone down, resulting in various states putting a pause on vaccinating people between the age group of 18-44 years.

So far, India hasn’t tapped into the study of mixing vaccines, even though the country has been struggling to expand the vaccination drive. Immunologist Dipyaman Ganguly told the publication, “It may be an interesting proposition, given the variant strains that are running amok at present. There are apprehensions around wild-type spike-directed vaccines falling short on curbing some of the new variants.”COVID