Final phase 3 trials data on Covaxin in July, says Bharat Biotech; experts question delay newindianexpress.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from newindianexpress.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Express News Service
NEW DELHI: India may still not be doing enough genome sequencing of SARS-CoV2 samples necessary to stay ahead of the virus and predict third Covid wave in time, feel experts.
So far, genome sequencing of only about 15,000 samples across India has been carried out while experts say that considering India’s population, this number should have been at least 1 lakh if not more.
It also grossly falls short of the target set up by the Centre in December-January to test 5 % of all positive samples in every state as part of its INSACOG initiative, which is a consortium of several institutions under the National Centre for Disease Control to carry out an extensive genomic surveillance of Covid virus in India.
A huge 2 crore gap between total Covid vaccines available and actual inoculations in May has prompted experts to raise doubts over Centre’s assertion of 12 crore doses being available in June.
Express News Service
NEW DELHI: Amid confusion that the government may completely do away with the second dose of Covid vaccine Covishield, the Centre on Tuesday clarified that there was no change in the existing dosing protocol while also insisting that mixing and matching of vaccines was not a possibility in the near future.
“There is some confusion and misunderstanding but let us make clear that we will keep following the gap interval of 12 weeks between two Covishield doses and everyone will get two doses of both Covishield,” said VK Paul, Member (Health) Niti Aayog and head of the national Covid task force.