Doctor, treating COVID positive Haryana minister, clears air on vaccine 'inefficiency'

Bharat Biotech, the vaccine maker, clarified that "vaccine efficacy will be determined 14 days post the second dose." Anil Vij was due for his second shot of the vaccine on December 18. He was not administered the second dose, also known as the booster dose.

Hyderabad:Dr. Kuldeep Singh, a civil surgeon at Ambala Civil Hospital where Haryana's health minister Anil Vij was admitted after being detected COVID-19 positive, on Saturday said vaccines cannot take effect in the human body within 15 days of administering the first shot.

"No vaccine can create antibodies in the recipient's body within 15 days of administering the first shot," Dr. Singh said. The Haryana minister had volunteered to take the vaccine during the third phase trials of Covaxin, India's first indigenously developed vaccine.

Dr. Singh said the first dose of the vaccine was administered to Vij on November 20, adding that at least two doses of vaccine should be administered to enable the human body to deploy antibodies into the bloodstream.

"Covaxin was administered to the minister on November 20. Today is December 5 and that makes it 15 days. At least two shots of vaccine should be administered. It is considered that antibodies are properly deployed (in the human body) after 42 days," Dr. Singh added.

Anil Vij was due for his second shot of the vaccine on December 18. He was not administered the second dose, also known as the booster dose.

Earlier today, Anil Vij took to Twitter, advising people who had come in contact with him to get tested for COVID-19 as he had tested positive for coronavirus.

"I have been tested Corona positive. I am admitted in Civil Hospital Ambala Cantt. All those who have come in close contact to me are advised to get themselves tested for corona," the health minister said on Twitter.

Speaking about the effect of vaccination, Dr. Pushpa Dahiya, Medical Superintendent, Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences at Rohtak in Haryana, noted that it is important for all vaccine takers to exercise caution for at least 42 days after receiving the first shot.

"It is important to maintain social distancing and wear masks for at least 42 days after receiving the first dose. Antibodies will be created in the blood only after 42 days," Dr. Pushpa said.

Meanwhile, Bharat Biotech, the pharmaceutical firm which developed Covaxin, clarified on Saturday that "the efficacy of the vaccine can be determined only 14 days after the second dose" is administered.

Bharat Biotech issued the clarification after Anil Vij tested COVID-19 positive.

"Covaxin clinical trials are based on a two-dose schedule, given 28 days apart. The vaccine efficacy will be determined 14 days post the second dose," an official statement issued by Bharat Biotech read.

During the third phase trial, the Hyderabad-based firm will administer the vaccine on '26,000 subjects across 25 sites,' the statement added.

Trials will be double-blinded and randomised during the third phase. "Fifty percent of subjects will receive the vaccine and 50 percent of subjects will receive placebo," it said.

The Union Health Ministry also issued a statement to preclude any misreadings of the situation after the Haryana minister tested COVID positive.

"The antibodies against the infection build up in a human being only after a specific number of days pass after the second dose of the vaccine is taken. This is a two-dose vaccine. The minister in question has taken only one dose of the vaccine," the statement read.

Bharat Biotech has been conducting clinical trials of Covaxin in the United States and the United Kingdom. It also said that it has successfully conducted more than 80 clinical trials, across 18 countries over the last two decades.

"Bharat Biotech has supplied more than 4 billion doses, to more than 80 countries, with an excellent track report of safety, The phase-3 trials of Covaxin is the only efficacy trial being conducted in India for COVID-19 vaccines, to determine its suitability to the diverse Indian population," the statement by Bharat Biotech added.