The Centre on Monday advised states to administer the second dose of Covishield at an interval of 4-8 weeks instead of the earlier bracket of 4-6 weeks.This decision of revised time interval between two doses is applicable only to Covishield and not COVAXIN.
The Centre on Monday advised states to administer the second dose of Covishield at an interval of 4-8 weeks instead of the earlier bracket of 4-6 weeks.This decision of revised time interval between two doses is applicable only to Covishield and not COVAXIN.
AstraZeneca-Oxford University's Covishield - manufactured by Serum Institute of India (SII) - and domestically made Bharat Biotech's Covaxin are the two vaccines authorised to be used in India against Covid-19, as part of nationwide inoculation drive kick-started on January 16, 2021.
Citing emerging global evidence showing protection from Covishield it is recommended that the time interval between should be 4-8 weeks after the first dose, instead of earlier practiced interval of 4-6 weeks. The Centre said that scientific evidence shows that protection is enhanced if the second dose of Covishield is administered between 6-8 weeks, but not later than stipulated period of eight weeks.
In a letter from Union Health Secretary, Rajesh Bhushan "In view of the emerging scientific evidence the interval between the two doses of Covishield has been revisited by the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization and subsequently by the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) in its 20th meeting, the recommendation has been revised to provide the second dose of COVISHIELD at 4-8 weeks’ interval after the first dose, instead of the earlier practiced interval of 4 to 6 weeks.
He wrote to Chief Secretaries of States and UTs and noted that the Ministry of Health had accepted the recommendations of NTAGI and NEGVAC and has thereafter advised the states to ensure the administration of the second dose of Covishield to beneficiaries within this stipulated time interval of 4-8 weeks after the first dose.
The Ministry has also asked all the states and UT/s to instruct concerned officials accordingly to undertake necessary steps to widely disseminate the message of revised dosing interval amongst programme managers, vaccinators and recipients of COVISHIELD vaccines and ensure adherence of the revised dosing interval.
However, in view of the emerging scientific evidence and upon instructions from National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) and National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC), the centre had revised the time interval.
More than 4.50 crore vaccine doses have been administered through 7,33,597 sessions, as per the provisional report till 7 am on Monday. As on Day 65 of the vaccination drive (on Sunday), a total of 4,62,157 vaccine doses were given.
AstraZeneca-Oxford University's Covishield - manufactured by Serum Institute of India (SII) - and domestically made Bharat Biotech's Covaxin are the two vaccines authorised to be used in India against Covid-19, as part of nationwide inoculation drive kick-started on January 16, 2021.
Citing emerging global evidence showing protection from Covishield it is recommended that the time interval between should be 4-8 weeks after the first dose, instead of earlier practiced interval of 4-6 weeks. The Centre said that scientific evidence shows that protection is enhanced if the second dose of Covishield is administered between 6-8 weeks, but not later than stipulated period of eight weeks.
In a letter from Union Health Secretary, Rajesh Bhushan "In view of the emerging scientific evidence the interval between the two doses of Covishield has been revisited by the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization and subsequently by the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) in its 20th meeting, the recommendation has been revised to provide the second dose of COVISHIELD at 4-8 weeks’ interval after the first dose, instead of the earlier practiced interval of 4 to 6 weeks.
He wrote to Chief Secretaries of States and UTs and noted that the Ministry of Health had accepted the recommendations of NTAGI and NEGVAC and has thereafter advised the states to ensure the administration of the second dose of Covishield to beneficiaries within this stipulated time interval of 4-8 weeks after the first dose.
The Ministry has also asked all the states and UT/s to instruct concerned officials accordingly to undertake necessary steps to widely disseminate the message of revised dosing interval amongst programme managers, vaccinators and recipients of COVISHIELD vaccines and ensure adherence of the revised dosing interval.
However, in view of the emerging scientific evidence and upon instructions from National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) and National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC), the centre had revised the time interval.
More than 4.50 crore vaccine doses have been administered through 7,33,597 sessions, as per the provisional report till 7 am on Monday. As on Day 65 of the vaccination drive (on Sunday), a total of 4,62,157 vaccine doses were given.