Covishield Covid-19 vaccine
The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) on Sunday recommended the administration of the second dose of Covid-19 vaccine Covishield between eight to 16 weeks after the first dose.
Notably, the second dose of Covishield is currently given between 12 to 16 weeks under the nationwide Covid-19 vaccination plan.
India’s top immunisation body though is yet to suggest any changes to the schedule for Bharat Biotech produced Covaxin, the second dose of which is administered 28 days after the first.
Meanwhile, the recommendation for Covishield is yet to be implemented in the national vaccination programme.
An official was quoted as saying, “The latest recommendation of NTAGI is based on recent global scientific evidence derived from programmatic data.”
"According to it, when the second dose of Covishield is given eight weeks onwards, the antibody response generated is almost similar when administered at an interval of 12 to 16 weeks," the official added.
The official also mentioned that amid a rise in cases in several countries the decision will lead to accelerated administration of the second dose of Covishield for the remaining six to seven crore individuals.
Earlier on May 13, last year, the government had decided to extend the gap between the two doses of Covishield from 6-8 weeks to 12-16 weeks amid a shortage in supply of vaccine doses.
That decision was also taken based on the recommendations of NTAGI, which provides guidance and advice to the Union Health Ministry on immunisation services for the effective control of vaccine-preventable diseases in the country.
