Vaccination for coronavirus can be taken three months after recovery, the Centre said today. The second dose of Covid vaccine should also be delayed by three months for anyone contracting the disease after the first dose. So far, there was no fixed gap for taking a vaccine in such situations. Individual physicians recommended a gap of two or four weeks depending on the condition of the patient.
Apart from increasing the gap between the two doses of Covishield vaccines to 12 to 16 weeks, the expert group also recommended that those who are getting the infection ow should defer their vaccination. The Centre cleared the Covishield proposal earlier. On Wednesday, the rest of the proposals were also accepted.
In its list of changes, the ministry said lactating women can be vaccinated, but the Centre will deliberate further regarding the vaccination of pregnant women.
Individuals who have received at least the 1st dose and got Covid-19 infection before completion of the dosing schedule should defer their second dose by 3 months.
Persons with any other serious general illness requiring hospitalisation or ICU care should also wait for 4-8 weeks before vaccination.
An individual can donate blood after 14 days of either receipt of Covid-19 vaccine or testing RT-PCR negative if suffering from Covid-19 disease.
Covid-19 vaccination is recommended for all lactating women, but no decision yet for pregnant women.
There is no requirement for screening of the vaccine recipients by rapid antigen test (RAT) prior to Covid-19 vaccination.
The recommendations were based on the “evolving situation of the Covid-19 pandemic and emerging global scientific evidence and experience”, the Centre has said. The recommendations are based on the finding that the protection that one develops after getting infected by the virus stays for at least three months. The vaccine if administered at a time when there are antibodies may become redundant. Hence, experts recommended the gap.
