Short supply of vaccine, particularly Covaxin, has posed a different problem for the entire health machinery and all those who have taken its first dose.
The immunity effected by first dose of Covaxin remains for 28 days only. It becomes necessary that the second dose is given on 28th day. With delay of each day the immunity goes down. After about 35 days from the date of first dose the immunity level reaches zero.
This is not the case in Covishield vaccine, where immunity after first does lasts upto 90 days.
If there is short supply of Covaxin and second dose could not be given in the prescribed period (28 days), the effect of the first dose would be totally nullified. The government will have to start immunization afresh for those who have been given Covaxin.
In the beginning people preferred Covaxin, it was stated to be more effective compared to Covishield.
The situation where supply of Covaxin cannot be adequate and regular, those who have taken its first dose will be pushed to difficulties, as stated by President of Microbiologists Society, India Dr Arvind Deshmukh and President of Maharashtra unit Dr Sanjeev Patankar.