84 day gap between two Covishield doses based on vaccine availability or efficacy asks Kerala HC

Kochi The Kerala High Court on Tuesday asked the Centre whether the 84-day gap between two doses of COVISHIELD was based on availability of the vaccine or its efficacyThe query to the central government came from Justice P B Suresh Kumar while hearing a plea by Kitex Garments Ltd seeking permission to administer the second dose of COVISHIELD vaccine to its workers The judge also said that if efficacy was the reason for the gap then he was worried as he was administered the second dose within 4-6 weeks of the first doseThe court said if availability was the reason for the gap then those who are able to afford to buy it like Kitex has they should be allowed to take the second dose without waiting for 84 days as per the prevailing protocolThe court further said if efficacy was the reason then the scientific data in support of it be also provided With the direction the matter was listed for hearing on August 26 after the lawyer for the Centre sought time till Thursday to seek instructionsEarlier on August 12 the high court had asked the Kerala government why it was permitting the second dose of vaccine only after expiry of 84 days from the first doseThe court had also asked the Centre what was the reason for increasing the gap between first and second dose of COVISHIELD from the earlier 4 weeks to 12-16 weeks On Tuesday the state government said it was following the COVID vaccination guidelines issued by the Centre Subsequently the lawyer for the Centre sought more time to answer the courts queryKitex in its plea has said that it has already vaccinated more than 5000 of its workers with the first dose and has arranged for the second dose but was unable to administer the same due to the prevailing restrictions PTI