The Delhi High Court on Friday declined to entertain a plea seeking direction to the authorities to reduce the gap between the second and precautionary dose of the COVID-19 vaccine for front-line workers and senior citizens noting that it will not interfere in policy matters.
‘Experts’ decisions’
A Bench of Chief Justice D.N. Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh said, “The High Court will be extremely slow in interfering with experts’ decisions.”
The petition filed by Dishank Dhawan sought to reduce the gap between the second dose and the precautionary third dose of the vaccine from 39 weeks (nine months) to three months for front-line workers, healthcare workers and senior citizens.
The plea said despite other countries mandating the booster dose immediately after three-four months of getting the second dose of vaccination to their front-line and healthcare workers, the government is mandating a 39 week gap between the second dose and the proposed third dose.
‘Not backed by study’
It is needless to mention that the said gap of 39 weeks is not backed by any eloquent study, besides it being demotivating for the existing front-line workers, healthcare workers, who are selflessly exposing themselves to the undetected virus every day, the plea argued.
The plea also sought direction to the government to pass appropriate direction so that immediate family members of front-line workers, healthcare workers, and senior citizens are also given priority while taking the booster dose.
