The Supreme Court has refused to interfere to reduce the 84-day gap prescribed between two doses of COVID-19 vaccine, Covishield, saying it is a matter of policy based on scientific assessment.
"Everybody should adhere to a national policy prescribed by the government," a Bench led by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud observed.
The plea filed by Kerala-based company, Kitex Garments Ltd, represented by advocate Haris Beeran, contended that the time gap was a violation of the right of an adult to protect himself better from a possibly fatal disease.
Mr. Beeran argued that the ICMR had said the vaccine was most effective if administered with a gap of six to eight weeks between the two shots.
The petition questioned the "discrimination" in the government policy which relaxed the 84-day limit for foreign workers and sportspersons, but remained rigid for their domestic counterparts.
Kitex argued that companies were anxious for the welfare of their employees and the safety of their work environment.
"Domestic labour and health and life of workers are also fundamental rights guaranteed under Article 14 and 21 of the Constitution. Any attempt to differentiate between international travellers and domestic workers in terms of vaccination and relaxation of one category alone would result in discrimination," Kitex had argued.
