Why the 84-day gap between Covishield doses: Kerala High Court to Union Government

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday asked the Union government whether the 84-day interval between two doses of Covishield was due to vaccine availability or efficacy. The question was sent to the Union government by Justice PB Suresh Kumar, who was hearing a petition by Kitex Garments Ltd requesting permission to administer the second dosage of Covishield vaccination to its employees. The court also stated that if efficacy was the reason for the gap, he was “worried” because the second dose was provided four to six weeks after the first dose.

The court ruled that if the shortage was due to a lack of supply, individuals who can afford to acquire it, such as Kitex, should be allowed to take the second dose without having to wait 84 days, as is the current routine. The court went on to say that if efficacy was the reason, then scientific proof to back it up should be presented as well. The subject was scheduled for hearing on August 26 after the Union government’s lawyer requested time until Thursday to get instructions.

Previously, on August 12, the High Court asked the Kerala government why it was allowing the second dosage of vaccination only after 84 days had passed since the first dose. The court had also asked the Union government why the period between the first and second doses of Covishield had been increased from four weeks to 12-16 weeks.

On Tuesday, the state government stated that it was adhering to the Union government’s COVID-19 immunisation requirements. As a result, the Union government’s lawyer requested extra time to respond to the court’s inquiry. Kitex stated in its petition that it had already vaccinated over 5,000 of its employees with the first dose and had scheduled for the second dose, but was unable to give it owing to the current constraints.

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