Congress leader and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday in a Tweet said that India needs quick and complete vaccination and not BJP’s lies. The Modi-led government is covering up the vaccine shortage and its inaction with a "brand of lies and rhyming slogans", Mr Gandhi alleged.
He further alleged that the government is trying to save the ‘fake’ image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and in that attempt is facilitating the spread of the virus and risking people’s lives. Gandhi has been brutally attacking the centre for the devastating impact of the Covid disease the country has gone through.
"India needs quick and complete vaccination- not BJP's usual brand of lies and rhyming slogans to cover-up vaccine shortage caused by Modi Government's inaction," the Congress leader wrote on Twitter.
"GOI's constant attempts to save the PM's fake image are facilitating the virus and costing people's lives," he added.
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He also slammed the Centre for increasing the gap between the two doses of the Covishield vaccine, accusing that the decision was taken without consulting the scientific group that it said had recommended the increase.
On the contrary, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare claimed that the decision was taken based on scientific reasons and was taken collectively by the panel.
“There have been some media reports regarding an increase in the gap between two doses of COVISHIELD vaccine from 6-8 weeks to 12-16 weeks, suggesting dissent among the technical experts regarding the decision. It may be noted that the decision of increasing the gap is based on the scientific reason regarding the behaviour of adenovector vaccines and has been discussed thoroughly in meetings of COVID-19 Working Group and Standing Technical Sub-Committee (STSC) of NTAGI with no dissent from any member,” said the ministry.
The gap between the two shots of the AstraZeneca Covishield Covid-19 vaccine was increased from 6-8 weeks to 12-16 weeks citing the recommendation of the expert panel.
The ministry in its response said: “This COVID-19 Working Group considered a proposal for a change in dose interval for COVISHIELD used under the National Vaccination Policy. It recommended that ‘based on the real-life evidence particularly from the United Kingdom (UK), the COVID-19 Working Group agreed for increasing the dosing interval to 12-16 weeks between two doses of COVISHIELD Vaccine’.”
Clarifying that the Covid-19 Working Group recommendation was further discussed in the 31st meeting of the Standing Technical Sub-Committee (STSC) of NTAGI which was held on 13th May 2021, where joint chairpersonship of Secretary, Department of Biotechnology and Secretary, DHR & DG, ICMR were also present.
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It further added that the STSC of NTAGI had suggested doubling the dosing interval to a minimum of three months between two doses of the Covishield vaccine.