Allow second COVISHIELD dose after 4 weeks from first for those who want it early: Kerala HC to Centre

Justice P B Suresh Kumar said that if the central and state governments can permit persons traveling abroad to choose between early and better protection from COVID-19, there is no reason why the same privilege cannot be extended to those here who want early protection in connection with their employment or education.

PTI

September 06, 2021 / 17:44 IST

Representative image: Reuters

The Kerala High Court has directed the Centre to allow scheduling, on CoWIN portal, of second COVISHIELD dose after four weeks from the first for those who want to take it earlier than the present suggested gap of 84 days.

Justice P B Suresh Kumar said that if the central and state governments can permit persons traveling abroad to choose between early and better protection from COVID-19, there is no reason why the same privilege cannot be extended to those here who want early protection in connection with their employment or education.

The high court, in its order dated September 3 which was made available on Monday, said that even according to the Union Health Ministry's policy the people shall have the choice to get early vaccination, for the implementation of which vaccine is being distributed on payment basis through private hospitals as well.

"The fourth respondent (Centre) is directed to make necessary provisions forthwith in the CoWIN portal, so as to enable scheduling of second dose of COVISHIELD vaccine after four weeks of the first dose for those who want to accept the second dose after a period of four weeks in terms of the initial protocol of the vaccine," the court said.

The observations and directions of the court came while allowing the plea by Kitex Garments Ltd, represented by advocate Blaze K Jose, seeking permission to administer the second dose of COVISHIELD vaccine to its workers without having to wait for 84 days.

COVID-19 Vaccine

Frequently Asked Questions

How does a vaccine work?

A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine.

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What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind?

Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time.

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