A study by the Indian Council of Medical Research has found that mixing the doses of Covishield and Covaxin was not only safe but also elicited a better immune response
Foreign nationals in India have been allowed to register on the CoWin portal to take Covid-19 vaccines. According to Health Ministry, foreign nationals can use their passport as an identity document to register on CoWin portal.
“A significant number of foreign nationals are living in India, especially in large metropolitan areas. In these areas, the potential of the spread of Covid-19 is high due to higher population density. To counter any possibility of such occurrence, it is important to vaccinate all eligible persons,” the Ministry said in a release.
The move, it is felt, will ensure the safety of foreign nationals in India and bring down the possibility of further transmission from unvaccinated persons
The move, it is felt, will ensure the safety of foreign nationals in India and bring down the possibility of further transmission from unvaccinated persons.
Since January 16, 2021, the National Covid-19 Vaccination Programme is being implemented across all states and Union Territories. It covers all citizens aged 18 years and above. India till date, has administered more than 51 crore vaccine doses across the country.
A study by the Indian Council of Medical Research has found that mixing the doses of Covishield and Covaxin was not only safe but also elicited a better immune response.
The study was conducted on 18 individuals who inadvertently received Covishield as the first jab and Covaxin as the second in Uttar Pradesh at a gap of six weeks.
The study found that the immunogenicity against Alpha, Beta and Delta variants was superior and the neutralising antibody response of the participants was also significantly higher compared to those who received both doses of the same vaccine.
The preprint study titled Serendipitous COVID-19 Vaccine-Mix in Uttar Pradesh, India: Safety and Immunogenicity Assessment of a Heterologous Regime was published on Medrxiv by ICMR and is yet to be peer-reviewed.
The study compared the safety and immunogenicity profile of the 18 individuals against that of those receiving either Covishield or Covaxin. “
“This is the first report of heterologous immunisation with an adenovirus vector-based and an inactivated whole virion vaccine in humans demonstrating safety and significantly improved immunogenicity,” the study said.
ICMR also said that the study would have an important implication for the COVID-19 vaccination program wherein heterologous immunisation – mixing doses, will pave the way for induction of improved and better protection against the variant strains of SARS-CoV-2.
