Covishield Widening gap between two Covishield doses not cover-up, says Dr Anthony Fauci
New Delhi/IBNS: White House chief medical adviser Dr Anthony Fauci has backed the Indian government's approach to intensify the Covid-19 vaccination drive as it is the key to ending coronavirus crisis in India and called the decision to increase the gap between two doses of Covishield as a "reasonable approach", according to an ANI report.
"When you are in a very difficult situation, the way you are in India, you have to try and figure out ways to get as many people vaccinated as quickly as you can, so I believe that it is a reasonable approach to do," Dr Fauci was quoted as saying by the news agency.
Yesterday, the government announced that the gap between two doses of Covishield has been increased to 12-16 weeks - from the initial 6-8 weeks.
While widening the gap between two doses of Covishield has attracted criticism, Dr Fauci said this "extended interval" is beneficial even from the efficacy standpoint, ANI report added.
"The fact that you delay it that long, it is very unlikely that it would have a negative effect on the efficacy of the vaccine. I would not refer to it as a cover up when you don't have enough vaccines," Dr Fauci told ANI.
As the government increased the gap in between doses for the second time in three months, it has been viewed as a cover up for not having enough vaccines.
As India is set to introduce Russia's Sputnik V vaccine for Covid-19 to its population next week, there will now be three vaccines to support the mega inoculation drive which was extended to the people above 18 years of age from May 1.
"I've heard about the Sputnik, is that, it seems to be quite efficacious, at a high level of close to 90 per cent or so," Dr Fauci responded when asked about the efficacy of the Russian vaccine.
He also said that India should have its armed forces increase its efforts further in the Covid crisis.
"You can use the military sometimes to get things done quickly that you otherwise in the private sector would not be able to, for example, I know that there's a shortage of hospital beds right now that people who need to be in a hospital or not getting into a hospital because of the shortage of the beds, you can get the military to put up field hospitals, the same way they would during time of war, that could serve as a substitute for the classic hospital." Dr Fauci told ANI.
On lifting travel restrictions to India, Dr Fauci said, "It really is going to depend on the level of infection right now. India has a very very high level of infection. And that would mean that it would be very very difficult to resume travel there right now."
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