Bhubaneswar: After the Central Government decided to extend the interval between two doses of Covishield vaccine from the existing four to six weeks time to four to eight weeks, the State government today asked its district heads to take necessary steps to widely disseminate the message of the revised interval. 

In a letter, the State Health and Family Welfare Department today asked all Collectors, District Magistrates, Municipal Commissioners, Chief District Medical Officers and Primary Health Centers to take necessary steps and create awareness regarding revised schedule for second dose of vaccination for Covishield within stipulated time interval of 4-8 weeks after first dose.

Additional Chief Secretary, Health, Pradipta Mohapatra further said the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) and NEGVAC (National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19) have recommended the revised schedule to provide second dose of Covishield vaccine at 4-8 weeks interval after the first dose instead of earlier practiced interval of 4-6 weeks based on emerging scientific evidence.

Based on the recommendations of NTAGI and NEGVAC, the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has advised to ensure second dose of Covishield vaccination to the beneficiaries within stipulated time interval of 4-8 weeks after the first dose.

Besides, the Ministry has also communicated that protection is enhanced if the second dose Covishield is administered between 6 to 8 weeks but not later than the stipulated period of 8 weeks, Mohapatra said.

Maintaining that as COWIN will not automatically schedule appointments for the second dose, he said the revised interval between doses of Covishield has to be immediately informed to the beneficiary, who will decide the date of their second visit within the stipulated time frame.