Union Health Ministry on Tuesday said that the mixing of vaccines against Covid19 is not the protocol till further updates. The Ministry said, “The same vaccines (Covishield and Covaxin) will be administered for both doses. There is international research underway on the mixing of vaccines as the possibility of a positive effect is also plausible but a harmful reaction cannot be ruled out either. It is an unresolved scientific question, science will settle it.”

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Earlier, it was reported that India might soon begin testing the feasibility of a regimen that mixes two different Covid-19 vaccines to see if it helps boost immune response to the virus. Feasibility study for this purpose is being seriously contemplated by the central government.

The feasibility testing may be carried out both by using vaccines that are currently available in the country, and those that are in the pipeline.

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Dr N K Arora, chairman of the Covid-19 working group under the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) on Monday told a national daily that work is expected to begin “in a few weeks”.

As part of the process of feasibility study, approximately eight vaccines may be mixed and matched, Dr Arora said.

The eight vaccines include the three vaccines that are currently approved for use in the country, Serum Institute of India’s Covishield, Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin, and the Russian made Sputnik-V. Collaboration between bodies like the Indian Council of Medical Research and the companies that developed and produced the vaccines will carry out the clinical testing as part of the exercise. The feasibility tests will study different factors such as whether vaccines based on different platforms can be given together. The study would also cover which vaccines to administer in the first and second doses.

A consignment, comprising as many as three million doses of Russia’s Covid-19 vaccine-Sputnik V, the biggest tranche so far, landed at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad, earlier on Tuesday. Dr Reddy’s Laboratories and Russian Direct Investment Fund are in a pact to sell the first 125 million people doses (250 million vials) of Sputnik V in India. DRL has received approval from the Indian drug regulator (CDSCO) for restricted emergency use of Sputnik V.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has put forth some tough questions for centre, on vaccinations. It has raised question on the deadline declared by the GOI for immunizing the entire eligible population in the country. The Apex court has also asked on what basis the population in the 45+ age group is being chosen for free vaccination, when those in the age group of 18-44 continue to suffer the most.

The central government has pretty formidable tasks ahead in terms of vaccination against Covid19, when there is a talk of a third wave, and when it practically wasted the last 11 crucial months for preparation.