By Krishna N. Das

NEW DELHI (Reuters – India’s vaccination program has slowed despite building record vaccine stockpiles. Health ministry data revealed Monday that India’s vaccination campaign is slowing, owing to a greater gap between the doses under a new strategy for increasing coverage.

Domestic production of the AstraZeneca (NASDAQ:) vaccine, which accounts for nearly 90% of administered doses, has more than tripled https://www.reuters.com/world/india/india-resumes-vaccine-exports-domestic-stocks-build-up-officials-2021-10-13 since May, when a supply shortage prompted India to double the period between doses to between 12 and 16 weeks.

The gap was longer than recommended by World Health Organization (8 to 12 weeks). India managed to administer at least one vaccination to 74% of India’s 944 million adult population, and only 30% received two.

Covishield (the AstraZeneca vaccination) accounts for 861 million doses in India’s overall injected number of 977.6million. Covaxin is only four to six weeks apart.

According to data from the health ministry, over the last few days the daily stocks for COVID-19 vaccinations exceeded 100 millions doses. This is for both federally and state-controlled territories.

Daily vaccinations, however, have fallen to an average 5 million doses per day this month, and less than the previous week. This is compared with a peak of 25,000,000 last month.

Ministry said that it followed the recommendations of a group experts to make any dosage changes. They arrived at this conclusion by considering both scientific and empirical evidence.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Immunisation stated that the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation is actively considering the question of dose intervals between Covishield doses.

However, vaccine supply alone should not determine the gap, said Chandrakant Lahariya, a physician and epidemiologist in the capital, New Delhi.

He stated that “there is no scientific reason to reduce this gap.” “In reality, maintaining this gap can give stronger protection and longer-lasting immunity.”

According to government officials, they have encouraged more unvaccinated people to become inoculated.

Lahariya stated that a 12-week interval was better for vaccine drives like those in India where studies show many individuals already have antibodies to COVID-19.

The studies revealed that over two-thirds (33%) of Indians had COVID-fighting antibody in July. This was largely due to natural infections.

India saw its lowest increase in infection cases since 230 days Monday, with 13,596 additional new cases. This brings the total number of Indians infected to 34 million. The number of deaths rose by 166, to 452,290.