HC refuses plea to reduce gap b/w COVID-19 vaccine doses, says can't interfere in policy decisions

New Delhi, Feb 4 (PTI) The Delhi High Court Friday refused to entertain a plea seeking direction to the authorities to reduce the gap between the second and precautionary dose of the COVID-19 vaccine from nine months to three months for frontline workers and senior citizens.

A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh said it was an administrative decision and the court will not interfere in policy matters.

"The high court will be extremely slow in interfering with experts' decisions," the bench said, adding that no proper homework was done before filing the PIL.

When the court said it was inclined to dismiss the petition with costs, the counsel for the petition said he was withdrawing the plea.

Petitioner Dishank Dhawan, in his plea, sought to reduce the gap between the second dose and the precautionary third dose of the vaccine from 39 weeks (9 months) to three months for frontline workers, healthcare workers, and senior citizens.

The plea also sought direction to the government to pass appropriate direction so that immediate family members of frontline workers, healthcare workers, and senior citizens are also given priority while taking the booster dose or precautionary third dose.

The petitioner's counsel said despite various other countries mandating the booster dose (third dose) immediately after 3-4 months of getting the second dose of vaccination to its frontline and healthcare workers, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is mandating a nine-month gap between the two doses. PTI SKV SKV RKS RKS