JOIN USBengaluru doctors not convinced mixing vaccines is a good idea
As the administration of Covishield and Covaxin gains momentum, scarcity has left many considering a combination of the two brands.
A cocktail of vaccines may result in side-effects like extra fatigue and headaches, but otherwise, there are no major concerns, says Dr Raghu J, internal medicine and infectious disease specialist.
Blending vaccines can bolster the country’s vaccine rollout, in his view.
“The first dose primes the immune system and the second boosts it,” he says.
While the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and UK public health experts have warned against the mixing of vaccines unless in exceptional situations, others have argued otherwise, he observes.
“Many believe a combination could do a better job of protecting against Covid-19, but the evidence is scarce,” he
adds.
Dr C Nagaraj, director, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases, says the shortage is mainly affecting those who have taken the Indian-made Covaxin.
“The gap between two Covaxin doses remains four to six weeks and most people are getting it late because of the unavailability of the second dose. The government wants to blend vaccine doses to resolve this, but mixing is not ideal,” he says.
Some studies suggest mixed vaccines provide greater protection against new variants, but the trials are still underway and the results aren’t out yet, he notes.
Blending vaccines with similar mechanisms is said to boost immunity, says Dr Subramanian Swaminathan, director, infectious diseases specialist.
“But Covishield and Covaxin are based on different principles, and hence, combining them is not recommended,” he says.
Subramanian says if a cocktail is administered, sufficient follow-up should be done to note the difference in response, and this could take months.
“In case of shortage, upgrading the production with help from private manufacturers makes more sense than experimenting with two vaccines,” he states.