Covid: Mixing of vaccines is not the protocol yet, says Health Ministry

The Centre on Tuesday said that by July or early August, there will be enough Covid vaccines to inoculate 10 million people a day.

It also said that mixing vaccines is not a protocol till further update and there is no change in the schedule of the two-dose Covishield and Covaxin vaccines.

"Mixing of vaccine is not the protocol yet, same vaccines (Covishield and Covaxin) are to be administered for both doses. Stick to the SOP. There's international research underway on the mixing of vaccines as the possibility of a positive effect is also plausible but a harmful reaction cannot be ruled out either. It is an unresolved scientific question, science will settle it," said NITI Aayog's V K Paul at the press briefing.

Amid talk of third Covid wave severely affecting children, the NITI Aayog member (health) said, "The pediatric population is generally asymptomatic. They often get infections but their symptoms are minimal or nill. The infection has not taken serious shape in children. But the virus may change its behaviour in the pediatric population. The impact of #COVID19 may increase in children. The data has shown that a low number of children are being admitted to hospitals. We are pushing the preparedness. Covid in children has been found in 2 ways — In first, they have reported pneumonia-like symptoms. In second, some cases of a multi inflammatory syndrome found among children who recently recovered from Covid-19."

Specifying norms for opening districts, the Centre said that the Covid positivity rate should be below five per cent for a week, over 70 per cent vulnerable population should be vaccinated and there should be community ownership to implement Covid-appropriate behaviour.

"Gradual lifting (of lockdown) will not lead to a massive surge. However, we have to ensure that vaccination is prioritized. The vaccination rate must be up to 70%. Covid appropriate behaviour should be followed," said Balram Bhargava, Director General, ICMR.

Centre said the positivity rate is less than five per cent in 344 districts and 30 states have reported a decline in active COVID-19 cases since the last week.

There has also been an almost 69 per cent decline in Covid cases since the peak recorded on May 7, the Centre said.

India recorded a single-day rise of 127,510 new COVID-19 cases, the lowest in 51 days, taking the country's infection tally to 28.17 million, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Tuesday.

India's active caseload further declined and is below 2 million after 43 days. The active caseload further declined to 1.89 million as active cases decreased by 130,572 in the last 24 hours

The daily positivity rate also declined to 6.62 per cent, remaining below the 10 per cent-mark for the seventh consecutive days, while the weekly positivity rate dropped to 8.64 per cent.

The death toll due to the virus climbed to 331,895 with 2,795 fatalities being recorded in a span of 24 hours.