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Based on scientific evidence and recommendation of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation, Union Health Ministry Additional Secretary Vikas Sheel said on Friday that Covid vaccination, including precaution doses, for individuals having lab test proven coronavirus infection will be deferred by three months after recovery.
The Union Health Ministry Additional Secretary Vikas Sheel, in a letter to all states and union territories, said that requests have been received from various quarters for guidance in regard to the administration of precaution dose to the eligible persons having Covid illness.
"Please note that: -In case of individuals having lab test proven SARS-2 Covid-19 illness, all Covid vaccination including Precaution dose to be deferred by 3 months after recovery," he said.
"I request you to kindly direct the concerned officials to take note," Sheel said in the letter. The suggestion is based on scientific evidence and recommendation of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation, he said.
Covid-19 vaccination of adolescents aged 15 to 18 years started from January 3, and the administration of precaution dose for Health Care Workers (HCWS), Front Line Workers (FLWs) and persons aged 60 years and above with co-morbidities has started from January 10.
The prioritisation and sequencing of this precaution dose is based on the completion of nine months i.e. 39 weeks from the date of administration of the 2nd dose.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation said that coronavirus vaccine boosters should now be offered to people, starting with the most vulnerable, in a move away from its previous insistence that boosters were unnecessary for healthy adults and an acknowledgment that the vaccine supply is improving globally.
At a press briefing on Friday, the UN health agency said it was now recommending booster doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, beginning in the highest-priority groups, about four to six months after receiving the first two doses, in line with guidance from dozens of countries that embarked upon booster programs months ago.
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