Now, Expert Panel Wants More Gap Between Covidshield Shots
Panellists advise reducing the Covishield dosage gap.
The second dosage of Covishield is now given 12–16 weeks following the first dose.
New Delhi: In light of the current Omicron pandemic, the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) has advised decreasing the time between the first and second doses of the COVID vaccine, Covishield, to 8 to 16 weeks, according to a source on Sunday.
The second dose of Covishield is currently being given 12–16 weeks following the first dosage as part of a countrywide immunisation campaign. Due to mounting incidences in European countries and other countries, India's supreme authority on vaccination has recommended that this be curtailed to ramp up the delivery of the second dosage of Covishield to the remaining population.
Also Read: Vaccination of 12-14 yrs Age Group in India From Today
Based on suggestions from NTAGI, which advises the Union Health Ministry on immunisation, the government increased the gap between the first and second doses of the Covishield vaccine from 6-8 weeks to 12-16 weeks on May 13, 2021.
However, the number of new COVID cases in India continues to decline. On Sunday, a total of 1,761 new COVID cases were reported across the country, the lowest number in nearly 688 days. India's active caseload has dropped to 26,240, or 0.06 per cent of all positive cases, continuing a declining trend.
