Govt Set To Allow Booster Dose Before 9-Month Waiting Period For those Travelling Abroad: Report

Currently, the gap between second Covid jab and precaution dose, as it is called, is nine months.

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New Delhi: The government has now reduced the gap between second Covid-19 vaccine jab and booster dose to a minimum of 90 days (three months) for those travelling abroad, news agency PTI reported quoting official sources on Wednesday. Currently, the gap between the second Covid jab and precaution dose, as it is called, is nine months. An official announcement, however, is yet to be made by the Union Health Ministry.

The decision to relax the norms about the precaution dose for overseas travellers was based on recommendations by the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI), sources informed.

Those who need to travel overseas can take the booster dose of Covid vaccine as required by the country they are travelling to before the mandatory nine-month gap, the advisory panel had recommended.

"The issue was discussed on Wednesday and the NTAGI has recommended that those who need to travel overseas can take the booster shot, before the stipulated nine-month waiting period, as required by the country they are travelling to," the source told PTI.

Several studies at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and other global research institutes have stated that antibody level wanes after a vaccine recipient completes six months from the primary jab with both doses and giving a booster shot increases the immune response.

The Health Ministry has received several proposals requesting precaution dose of Covid vaccine for those travelling abroad for employment, business, studies and even bilateral and multilateral meetings as part of India's official delegation.

Under country's inoculation drive, Covaxin and Covishield vaccines are being administered as precaution doses or booster shots to above 18-plus population.

India started administering precaution doses of vaccines to healthcare and frontline workers and those aged 60 and above with comorbidities from January 10.