Report of CMC study on mixing vaccines likely by month-end

The results of the study testing the feasibility of mixing of Covid-19 vaccines-Covishield and Covaxin-two main vaccines currently available in India- is likely to come by the end of this month. The study is being conducted by Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore.

Gagandeep Kang of CMC Vellore said that "recruitment is finished and first antibody results are likely to come by February end".

In heterologous doses' trials, a participant receives Covaxin followed by Covishield and vice versa. The Drug Controller General of India had approved the trial in July last year.


Earlier Kang had told ET that CMC was finding it difficult to find enough people to recruit into the study and had reached out to other institutes.

India has started giving the same vaccine as the third dose of booster or precaution dose of vaccine and no mix and match has been allowed, as of now. This means, those who have received Covishield as their first and second dose have been receiving Covishield as their third dose. Similarly, those who have received Covaxin in their first two doses have been receiving Covaxin as the third dose.

The mix and match approach was not given a go-ahead by the government due to lack of data on the effectiveness of a different vaccine. The Centre had earlier said that as more data is received about a heterologous approach in the administration of vaccines, decisions will be taken accordingly.