Interval Between 2 COVID Vaccine Covishield Doses Between 4-8 Weeks Now: All You Need To Know

As the COVID cases go up, the government has decided to increase the interval between the first and second doses of Covishield to up to eight weeks in its ongoing vaccination drive against the coronavirus pandemic.

Indians are being administered Covishield, Serum Institute of India¡¯s version of AZD1222, the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and University of Oxford and Bharat Biotech¡¯s Covaxin.

"In view of the emerging scientific evidence, the interval between two doses of a specific COVID-19 vaccine i e. Covishield, has been revisited by National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) and subsequently by NEGVAC in its 20th meeting during which the recommendation has been revised to provide 2nd dose of Covishield at 4-8 weeks' interval after 1st dose instead of earlier practiced interval of 4-6 weeks,¡± the Union Health Ministry said last week.

PTI

In a letter written to the chief secretaries of states and UTs on Monday, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said the ministry has accepted the recommendations of NTAGI and NEGVAC.

¡°¡­and has thereafter advised the states and UTs to ensure the administration of 2nd dose of Covishield to beneficiaries within this stipulated time interval of 4-8 weeks after the 1st dose," he said.

Enhanced protection in eight weeks

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan wrote to states that based on the scientific evidence, it ¡°appears that protection is enhanced if the second dose of Covishield is administered between 6-8 weeks, but not later than stipulated period of 8 weeks¡±.

AFP

Covishield and Covaxin have been used in the vaccination drive that rolled out on January 16 with healthcare workers to start with and then frontline workers.

Earlier, the gap between two doses of vaccines was four weeks.

In the wake of rising cases in the country, the government has opened vaccination programme for everyone above 45, April 1 onwards.