PUNE: Union minister of state for health and family welfare Bharati Pawar on Monday dismissed the possibility of reducing the gap between two doses of Covishield vaccine, citing scientific studies.
“There is scientific evidence behind the existing gaps stipulated between the Covid vaccine doses in India, and we have to stick to them. We need to respect these studies rather than issuing political comments,” she said, after taking stock of the Covid situation in Pune.
The Maharashtra government is planning to allow citizens vaccinated with the first dose to participate in activities in the opened-up sectors post-Diwali primarily because of the long gap between two shots of Covishield.
Drawing attention to state-specific issues pertaining to containment of Covid across the country, Bharati Pawar said, “In northern states, Covid cases have registered sharp decline but some of the states like Kerala and Maharashtra are still reporting comparatively more cases than others. Hence, the Union government has not issued blanket guidelines and has asked states to take state-specific measures.”
