Centre Requests To Increase Interval For Second Jab Of Covishield; Know Why

In India, Bharat Biotech's Covaxin and Serum Institute of India's Covishield have been approved by the Centre for emergency use. Both vaccines are being used in India's vaccination drive. However, the revised interval applies only to Covishield.

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The Central government, in a letter on March 22, instructed the states and Union Territories to increase the interval between two doses of Covishield vaccine for better results. At present, the gap between two doses of Coronavirus vaccine is 28 days, or four-six weeks.

After the Center's revised interval, the gap between administration of first and second doses of AstraZeneca-Oxford University's Covishield has been increased to six-eight weeks from the current 28 days.

The decision by the Union Health Ministry has been taken after its meeting with National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) and National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19.

In India, Bharat Biotech's Covaxin and Serum Institute of India's Covishield have been approved by the Centre for emergency use. Both vaccines are being used in India's vaccination drive. However, the revised interval applies only to Covishield.

Reason Why Centre Is Increasing Interval for Second Jab of Covishield -

"In view of the emerging scientific evidence, the interval between two doses of a specific COVID-19 vaccine, Covishield, has been revisited by the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) and subsequently by National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19," the letter said.

India has witnessed a sudden surge in positive Covid-19 cases in the last few days.

According to the Union health ministry data, the nation on Monday recorded 6,951 new Coronavirus positive cases in the last 24 hours, highest so far in the last 4 and a half months, taking the total COVID-19 tally to 1,16,46,081.