Extended gap between 2 doses of Covishield reasonable approach: Anthony Fauci
Coronavirus India: As the Government of India announced an extension of the gap between two doses of the Covishield vaccine, the top US infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, on Friday said that it was a reasonable approach.
When there's a shortage of COVID-19 vaccine, extending the duration between the 1st and 2nd dose of Covishield to get more people to get a 1st dose is a reasonable approach, Fauci said.
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"Unlikely that long delay would have a negative effect on vaccine efficacy," he said, adding that "Wouldn't refer to it as a cover-up."
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He said that "You (India) have got to work out arrangements with countries and companies while ramping up your capability of making vaccines."
"India is one of best if not biggest vaccine producers. You've got to use some resources for your people," Dr. Anthony Fauci said.
He added that rich countries and countries that have the capability of making, distributing vaccines, have a moral responsibility to assist countries that don't have that capability, particularly low and middle-income countries.
"I don't have much information on Covaxin, but what I do know is Sputnik seems to be quite efficacious, at a high level of close to 90 percent or so, but I don't have enough information on the Covaxin," he added.
He further said that the vaccine passport wasn't going to be mandated from the federal standpoint in the US. "Travel is going to depend on the level of infection. India has a very high level of infection. It'd be difficult to resume travel there right now," he added.
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