The Centre on Monday asked states and union territories to increase the interval between two doses of Covishield vaccine, citing scientific evidence of enhanced protection if the second dose is administered between six-eight weeks.
Earlier, the interval between the two doses of Covishield vaccine was four-six weeks.
The government made it clear that there has been no change in the interval between two doses of Covaxin, the indigenously-developed vaccine by National Institute of Virology and Bharat Biotech.
The interval between two doses of a specific Covid-19 vaccine i.e. Covishield, has been revisited by National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) and subsequently by National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) in its 20th meeting.
“During this meeting the recommendation has been revised to provide a second dose of Covishield at 4-8 weeks’ interval after the first dose, instead of earlier practiced interval of 4-6 weeks,” an official statement said.
In a letter to the Chief Secretaries of states/UTs, Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has accepted the recommendations of NTAGI and NEGVAC.
He said the States and UTs have been advised to ensure the administration of second dose of Covishield to beneficiaries within this stipulated time interval of four-eight weeks after first dose.
Keeping the existing scientific evidence in view, it appears that protection is enhanced if the second dose of Covishield is administered between six-eight weeks, but not later than stipulated period of eight weeks.
The Union Health Secretary has urged the states and UTs to instruct the concerned officials accordingly to undertake necessary steps to widely disseminate the message of revised dosing interval amongst programme managers, vaccinators and recipients of Covishield vaccine and ensure adherence of the revised dosing interval.