The Centre on Wednesday moved a division bench of Kerala High Court, challenging the single bench verdict which had asked the Union Health Ministry to allow willing persons to schedule the second dose of Covishield vaccine four weeks after the first in terms of the original protocol for vaccination to do so.
The single judge directive came on a writ petition filed by Kitex Garments Ltd and Kitex Childrenswear Ltd, Kochi, seeking a directive to the Centre to allow its workers to receive the second shot of Covishield before completing the stipulated 84-day gap between the two doses. Kitex, in its plea, had said it has vaccinated more than 5,000 of its workers with the first dose and has arranged for the second dose at a cost of nearly ₹ 93 lakh, but was unable to administer the same due to the prevailing restrictions. Challenging the September 3 judgment, the Centre said it was an attempt to evaluate the issue on the basis of the right to equality provided in the Constitution instead of viewing it from a scientific angle and if allowed, would result in social disaster which should not be allowed to happen. In its appeal, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said that the judgement which permitted a certain class of persons to exercise choice between early protection and better protection would result in social disaster. The appeal also pointed out that the single judge should not have interfered with the vaccines policy formulated based on the opinion and advice of experts in the field and clinical trials.
