A preliminary study conducted by the Pune-based National Institute of Virology (NIV) on 18 people found that people taking different doses of Covishield and Covaxin had higher immunogenicity (immunogenicity) than people taking the same vaccine dose. This study was done on people who accidentally got different vaccines in Siddharthnagar, Uttar Pradesh. It has not been peer-reviewed yet.
In May this year, 18 people from Siddharthnagar district were mistakenly administered doses of different vaccines. First, these people were given Covishield supplements and then Covaxin doses were given. Officials said that this happened due to the health workers’ mistake at the vaccination centre and action would be taken against them. At that time, the beneficiaries were also scared about it, and they were scared of any untoward incident.
According to News18, the NIV studied these 18 people and compared their immunogenicity to those who took the same vaccine doses. The study revealed that the immunogenicity profile of people who received the different vaccines was stronger against alpha, beta and delta variants. In addition, the number of antibodies in them was also high. It states that the doses of both vaccines are safe as well as giving more protection.
Large scale trial recommendation
On June 29, the Subject Expert Committee of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) recommended starting a trial of different vaccine doses (interchangeable dose regimen) in India. The committee had said that the Christian Medical College in Vellore should be allowed to conduct trials of giving different doses of Covaxin and Covishield. Both doses of the same vaccine are being given in India, and an interchangeable dose regime is not allowed.
Why are different doses of vaccines given?
NK Arora, head of the Technical Advisory Group to advise on vaccination in the country, said that the interchangeable dosage regimen does not mix different vaccine doses. He said that the beneficiary is given doses of vaccines from different companies to meet the vaccination schedule. Its purpose is to increase the efficacy of the vaccine and the protection it provides. It is also called interchangeability.
Describing the Interchangeable Dose Regime trial in April, the head of the country’s Corona Task Force, Dr VK Paul, had said that scientific understanding on this issue is increasing, and India should also think in this direction. He had said that this is likely to increase the vaccine’s efficacy, and if this happens, it will accelerate the country’s vaccination campaign, and people will get better booster shots.