Increase gap between two Covishield shots to 12-16 weeks: Govt panel

Suggests pregnant women to be offered the choice to take any COVID-19 vaccine

ITDC INDIA EPRESS/ITDC NEWS A government panel has recommended increasing the gap between two doses of Covishield vaccine to 12-16 weeks, official sources said on Thursday.

No change has been suggested for dosage interval of Covaxin by the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI).

According to the current protocol, vaccine must be taken four to eight weeks after recovery from COVID-19 infection.

It has also suggested that pregnant women may be offered the choice to take any COVID-19 vaccine and that lactating women can be inoculated any time after delivery.

The NTAGI has also stated that those having laboratory test proven SARS-CoV-2 illness should defer COVID-19 vaccination for six months after recovery, the sources said.

"Based on the available real life evidence particularly from the UK, the COVID-19 working group agreed for increasing the dosing interval to 12-16 weeks between two doses of Covishield vaccine.No change in interval of Covaxin vaccine doses was recommended," the sources said.

Currently, the recommended interval between two doses of Covishield is four to eight weeks.

The recommendations come amid several states reporting shortage of vaccines.

Several states and UTs including Delhi, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Telangana have decided to opt for global tenders for procurement of anti-coronavirus shots with the domestic supply falling short to meet the rising demand.

The recommendations of the NTAGI, which came after a recent meeting of the panel, will be sent to the National Expert Group on Vaccine Adminstration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC).

The panel also rejected the proposal for routinely screening all vaccine recipients with rapid antigen testing prior to COVID vaccination.

The NTAGI recommended that all pregnant women visiting for ANC care may be informed about risks and benefits associated with Covishield and Covaxin. Based on the information provided, a pregnant woman may be offered the choice to take any of the COVID 19 vaccine.

An educational tool comprising information on risk of COVID 19 infection during pregnancy, benefits associated with the vaccination and rare complications associated with vaccines like thrombosis and thrombocytopenia (with Covishield) may be developed.