File photo of Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan. (Photo: PTI)
Will it be more difficult to acquire and inoculate large swaths of the population with multiple doses, or would a single-dose vaccination plan have been easier? Yes, experts say.
- CNN-News18
- Last update: October 11, 2020 9:49 PM IST
- FOLLOW US:
In a significant announcement, the Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan said on Sunday that the Covid-19 vaccines currently being tested in India will be administered in two to three doses.
The vaccine being developed by the Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech requires two doses, while the Zydus Cadila Healthcare vaccine requires three doses. For other vaccines in clinical stages, the dose is still being tested, he said.
Will it be more difficult to acquire and inoculate large swaths of the population with multiple doses, or would a single-dose vaccination plan have been easier? Yes, experts say.
Speaking to News18, Bioethicist Professor Anant Bhan said: “Looking at the data from clinical trials at an early stage will tell us what the safety profile of the vaccine is and how many doses are needed to elicit a particular immune response. It is a two or three dose vaccine, the cost of acquiring the vaccine would be higher. ” he said.
In the fourth edition of ‘Samvaad’, Dr Harsh Vardhan said that India would be in a position to procure 400 to 500 million doses of the vaccine by July 2021. He said: “Even if we have multiple vaccines, they will all be safe. and it will elicit the necessary immune response against the coronavirus. “
Sharing his views on single-dose versus double-dose vaccines, he said that for rapid control of the pandemic, a single-dose vaccine is desirable.
The most important component of vaccine disbursement planning is the cold chain and other logistics that must ensure that vaccine delivery failures do not occur, even in the last mile, he said.
‘PRIORITIZING HIGH-RISK GROUPS FOR THE VACCINE’
The Union Health Minister said the government was not prioritizing the youth and working class for the Covid-19 vaccine for economic reasons, as rumored. He said: “Group prioritization for the Covid-19 vaccine will be based on two key considerations: occupational hazard and risk of exposure to infection, and risk of developing severe illness and increased mortality.”
EMERGENCY AUTHORIZATION
The issue of the authorization of emergency use of Covid-19 vaccines in India, the Minister said, is currently being deliberated. “Adequate safety and efficacy data are required for approval of the emergency use authorization vaccine to ensure patient safety. The further course of action will depend on the data generated,” he added.
The minister also said that the government is open to assessing the feasibility of introducing various Covid-19 vaccines into the country based on their availability to the Indian population. Dr Harsh Vardhan said: “The current situation calls for multiple vaccine partners to ensure maximum vaccination coverage to the Indian population and the use of a single vaccine from a given company should not be viewed with a negative lens.”
STOCKS WILL BE LIMITED AT START
On the subject of the government’s plan to implement the Covid-19 vaccine by prioritizing target groups throughout the population, Vardhan said it is anticipated that supplies of Covid-19 vaccines will be available in limited quantities at first. He said: “In a huge country like India, it is critical to prioritize vaccine delivery based on several factors, such as risk of exposure, comorbidity among various population groups, mortality rate among Covid-19 cases, and various others”. He also added that India is considering the availability of several different types of vaccines, some of which may be suitable for a particular age group, while others may not be.
NEED FOR DEFENSE
He also spoke about the need for mass advocacy to develop community awareness activities to understand the reasons for vaccinations and address them appropriately.
.
