The Indian Government might soon decide on mixing and matching COVID-19 vaccines based on the data from the study conducted by CMC, Vellore. The decision would be taken after the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) goes through the data in a meeting to be held soon.

The trial had been approved by the Drugs Controller General of India last year in July. The study was conducted at CMC, Vellore, aimed at finding out the response of a fully vaccinated person with one of the two vaccines - Covishield or Covaxin- to a booster dose comprising of the other vaccine, called heterologous vaccination. This was compared to response to a third of the same vaccine (homologous vaccination). The study included 200 participants each in the homologous vaccination group and heterologous vaccination group. Winsley Rose, principal investigator of the study, said that the results were preliminary and they have approached the drug regulator to share the results, after which the data would be shared with the NTAGI.

Though the administration of the third dose of the same vaccine has started in India for senior citizens, healthcare workers and frontline workers, the government did not approve the administration of mixed vaccine due to lack of data on its effectiveness… (ET Healthworld, March 10, 2022)