Vaccination 3 Months After Covid Recovery, Says Government

New Delhi: Vaccination for coronavirus can be taken three months after recovery, the Centre said today. The second dose of Covid vaccine should also be delayed by three months for anyone contracting Covid after the first dose. So far, there was no fixed gap for taking a vaccine in such situations. Individual physicians recommended a gap of two or four weeks depending on the condition of the patient.

The fresh rules are part of the recommendations by NEGVAC -- the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 led by NITI Aayog member Dr VK Paul --- which have been accepted by the Union health ministry. The expert group has also recommended vaccination for lactating women.

The changes come less than a week after the government expanded the gap between two doses of Covishield vaccine from six to eight weeks to 12 to 16 weeks. The move had drawn much criticism from the Congress
in the backdrop of an acute vaccine shortage. nIt was the second time in three months that the interval between Covishield dosage was widened. In March, the government stretched the gap from 28 days to six weeks, saying it pushed up the efficacy of the vaccine.

This time too, the government said a longer gap made the vaccine more effective. "Based on available real-life evidence, particularly from the United Kingdom, the COVID-19 Working Group has agreed to increase dosing interval between two doses of Covishield to 12-16 weeks. No change in intervals for Covaxin was recommended," the government said in its statement.