On the advice of the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration, the government has today rescheduled the time lag between two doses of Covid-19 vaccination Covishield from 6-8 weeks to 12-16 weeks. The Union Health Secretary today in a communication to the chief secretaries of all the states conveyed the decision and advised the states to adjust accordingly their respective Covid Vaccination programs. According to official data, vaccination drive against Covid in India has completed 117 days during which 17.7 crore people from 18 years and above have been vaccinated out of which 3.9 crore beneficiaries have completed the double dose schedule of vaccination as per the recommended interval of 4 weeks for Covaxin and 6-8 weeks for Covishield. This has been possible due to the proactive participation of all States and UTs.
As reported in an official release, the change in the interval between two doses of a specified covid-19 vaccine i.e Covishield has been revised in view of the emerging scientific evidence. The decision by the Covid working group of the national technical advisory group an immunization (NTAGI) and subsequently by the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19 (NEGVAC) was taken in the meeting held on 12 May 2021. NEGVAC has recommended revision in the schedule of Covishield to administer the 2nd dose at 12-16 weeks interval after 1st dose instead of earlier the interval of 6-8 weeks.
The Union Health Ministry has since accepted the recommendation of NTAGI and NEGVAC and thus accordingly advised the States and UTs to ensure 2nd dose of Covishield to beneficiaries within this stipulated time interval of 12-16 weeks after 1st dose. New recommendations will readjust the immunity development interval for those who have taken the first jab. It would also ease out some pressure on the availability of sufficient vaccines in the coming days.
The new regime for Covid vaccination, for the time being, will be applicable only to Covishield and not the Covaxin which is also being administered to the masses besides Covishield. It is important for the government to disseminate the message of the new schedule widely and promptly to apprise the people especially when the critics of the government have been burning the midnight oil in finding faults with each and every decision taken in the process for mitigating the Corona sufferings. They had done so earlier too when they spread many doubts questioning the efficacy of the indigenous Covishield discouraging people to go for it.
Requisite changes should be carried out in the Co-WIN platform and would be separately communicated to the States/UTs for effective management.
