Can’t mix vaccine while taking 2nd Covid jab: Centre tells Delhi high court

The union government has informed the Delhi high court that it is neither permissible nor advisable for an individual to be administered different Covid-19 vaccines for each of his/her two doses. A person may, however, be administered a different vaccine as a precautionary dose.

The Centre made the submission while the court was hearing a plea filed in 2021 by Madhur Mittal, a cancer patient, who sought permission to take Covaxin for second dose instead of Covishield, which was administered to him as the first dose. The court dismissed they petitioner’s plea because he did not appear for the hearing.

The petitioner had contended that after being administered the first vaccine (Covishield), he suffered from various adverse reactions which required specialised treatment, and hence sought permission to take Covaxin.

In response, the union government filed an affidavit in November 2021, stating that mixing of two or more Covid-19 vaccines was not permitted under the National COVID-19 Vaccination Program. It also said that there was no recommendation from two expert bodies, National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) and National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-l9 (NEGVAC), regarding the safety and efficacy of mixed dose.

The government added that CDSCO had granted permission for Phase4 clinical trial to M/s Christian Medical College, Vellore, for the mixing of two doses on August 7, 2021, and that the study was in progress.

On January 17, 2023, the central government’s standing counsel Anurag Alhuwalia reiterated the same position.

The court, however, did not proceed further and dismissed the petition as the petitioner or his representative did not appear for the hearing.