No recommendation so far on mixing vax: Govt to RS

COVID-19 vaccines have been developed recently. Therefore, scientific evidence about mix and match studies of different vaccines is still evolving, Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar said in a written reply. To a question on the issue, she said no recommendation has been made so far to mix the first and second doses of Covid vaccines by the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization or the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19.

There is no specific recommendation from the World Health Organization presently on mix and match of vaccines, the minister added. She was responding to a question on whether one can mix first and second doses of COVID vaccines and administer them to people who need it and whether any studies have been carried out or is there any scientific evidence that such mixing would not have any adverse impact on people.

Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL) may start supplying 20 lakh doses of Covaxin by September, the government said on Tuesday. NITI Aayog member (Health) Dr V K Paul said, “The quantum jump in the production capacity of Covaxin will come as the Bangalore facility has got activated. There was a little delay because of standardisation processes, fine-tuning quality assurances and bringing it to the level of efficient flow.”