Amid vaccine shortage in nation and NTAGI suggest to increase the gap between the two doses of the Covishield vaccine to 12–16 weeks. Presently it requires a gap of six to eight weeks between two doses of covishield.
However the panel has rejected a proposal to conduct rapid antigen screening of those who had been vaccinated prior to Covid vaccination.
Meanwhile the National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (NTAGI) has not recommended any change in the interval between doses of covaxine.
Sources said that NTAGI has also said that those who have suffered from Covid-19 should not get vaccinated for six months after getting healthy.
The panel has said that pregnant women can be given the option to get any Covid-19 vaccine and breast-fed women can get vaccinated at any time after giving birth.
These suggestions from NTAGI will be forwarded to the National Expert Group of Covid-19 (NEGVAC) to look into vaccination for approval.
“Based on existing evidence, especially from the UK, the Covid-19 working group has agreed to increase the interval between two doses of the Covishield vaccine to 12 to 16 weeks,” the sources said.
Current vaccination protocols state that since the clinical trial has not yet included pregnant and lactating women, they should not be vaccinated.
Those who have received the first dose of the vaccine and if they become infected before the second dose is administered should wait four to eight weeks before receiving the next dose after recovering.
