Research begins on mixing vaccines

• Hopes fade for Covishield vaccine from India   
• Health authorities look at option to give fresh jab   

By Easwaran Rutnam   

Research is underway on the possibility of mixing one Covid  vaccine brand with another and the safety of giving two doses of  another brand to an individual who has already obtained one dose of the  AstraZeneca Covishield vaccine.   

The research is being carried out as hopes of obtaining the  AstraZeneca Covishield vaccine from India to administer as the second  dose to those who already obtained the first jab of the same vaccine,  begins to fade.   
Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Sudath Samaraweera told reporters  that with the current situation in India it is looking more and more  difficult to believe that the Serum Institute will be in a position to  dispatch the remaining AstraZeneca Covishield vaccine stocks ordered by  Sri Lanka. He said that while discussions are still ongoing they do not  expect to receive the Covishield vaccine anytime soon. 

 
As a result, he said that research is being conducted into  the mix and match option where one dose can be one vaccine and the  second dose another vaccine brand. He said that if the research is  successful then a different vaccine brand will be given to those who  obtained the AstraZeneca Covishield vaccine. 

 
Sri Lanka has so far used the AstraZeneca Covishield  vaccine while stocks of the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine are currently in  Sri Lanka awaiting clearance to be used on locals. The Sputnik V vaccine purchased from Russian is also scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka soon.         

The research is being carried out as hopes of obtaining the  AstraZeneca Covishield vaccine from India to administer as the second  dose to those who already obtained the first jab of the same vaccine,  begins to fade.   
Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Sudath Samaraweera told reporters  that with the current situation in India it is looking more and more  difficult to believe that the Serum Institute will be in a position to  dispatch the remaining AstraZeneca Covishield vaccine stocks ordered by  Sri Lanka. He said that while discussions are still ongoing they do not  expect to receive the Covishield vaccine anytime soon.   

As a result, he said that research is being conducted into  the mix and match option where one dose can be one vaccine and the  second dose another vaccine brand. He said that if the research is  successful then a different vaccine brand will be given to those who  obtained the AstraZeneca Covishield vaccine.