Covishield: 'Certain categories can get 2nd jab after 28 days gap'

New Delhi: In a major decision, the Union Health Ministry on Monday allowed administration of the second dose of Covishield in the next 28 days from the first dose to students undertaking foreign travel for the purposes of education, persons, who have to take up jobs in foreign countries and athletes, sportspersons and accompanying staff of Indian contingent attending International Olympic Games to be held in Tokyo, which is scheduled to open on July 23.

As per the SoP issued by the Health Ministry in this regard, this facility would be available to those who need to undertake international travel for these specified purposes in the period up to August 31.

"It has been advised that vaccination may be availed in such cases through passport, which is one of the permissible identify documents as per the current guidelines, so that the passport number is printed in the vaccination certificate," it said, adding that if the passport was not used at the time of administration of the first dose, the details of the photo ID card used for vaccination will be printed in the vaccination certificate.

However, in the SoPs, the government has made it very clear that officials on vaccination duty would not insist such special beneficiaries to furnish passport details for entry in the vaccination certificate as the competent authority, on requirement, may issue another certificate linking the vaccination certificate with the passport number of the beneficiary.

As per the SoPs, the inoculation of the second dose of Covishield in the next 28 days of the first dose under the special condition, the beneficiaries would have to have admission offers or associated formal communications for the purpose of education, details of interview call for a job or offer letters for taking up employment, nomination to participate in the Tokyo Olympic games and if a person is already studying in a foreign educational institution and has to return to that institution for continuing his/her education.

Last month, a government panel had recommended that the dosage interval of Serum Institute of India's Covishield vaccine be increased to 12-16 weeks.

However, the gap between the two doses of Bharat Biotech's Covaxin is four weeks.