In a bizarre incident, a man from Kannur in Kerala, who is fully vaccinated with Bharat Biotech's Covaxin, filed a petition in the Kerala High Court to be revaccinated with Covishield.
However, the Centre today clarified before the Kerala High Court that those who have been administered both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine cannot be re-vaccinated.
"A person who receives more than two vaccines is more likely to have health problems. There is currently no provision for giving more than two doses of the vaccine to one person," the Centre said.
"There is no international guideline for administering the third dose of the vaccine. An overdose can lead to health problems," the Centre added.
The man Girikumar, 50 had filed a plea in the Kerala High Court stating that he works in Saudi Arabia which is yet to recognise the Covaxin as the COVID-19 vaccine.
He further stated that as per his visa stipulation, he has to return to Saudi Arabia before August 30, or he will lose his job.
As per Girikumar's plea, he had returned to India due to the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia in January. While staying in India he took both doses of Covaxin.
When the government began vaccination of people above 45 years of age, he registered on the CoWIN portal and took the first dose of Covaxin on April 17, and the second a month later.
It was only after receiving Covaxin that he came to know that it is not approved by the Saudi government.
The petitioner further said that had the authorities informed the public about the non-recognition of Covaxin earlier, he would not have taken it. And now his job is in jeopardy.