Students flying overseas can get Covishield 2nd jab after 28 days
Job-seekers, migrants, Olympics-bound athletes will benefit too
In an important decision benefiting students going abroad for studies, as well as skilled migrant workers and sportspersons headed for the Tokyo Olympics, the health ministry has waived the mandatory 12-16-week (84 days) interval between two doses of the Covishield anti-Covid-19 vaccine. They can now take their second shot after a 28-day gap between the two doses on production of documents that prove they have to go abroad. This facility is available to those who need to undertake international travel for these specified purposes in the period up to August 31, 2021.
In such cases, the Centre has said vaccination may be availed through passports, which is one of the permissible ID documents under the current guidelines so that the passport number is printed in the vaccine certificate. If a 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 and mention of the passport in the vaccination certificate will not be insisted upon. However, if necessary, the competent authority may issue another certificate linking the vaccination certificate with the passport number of the beneficiary. The health ministry said mention of vaccine type as “Covishield”
is sufficient and no other qualifying entries are required in the vaccine certificates. Covishield, produced by the Serum Institute of India and approved by DCGI, is one of the vaccines which have been approved by the WHO.
This special dispensation will be available only to students who have to undertake foreign travel for the purposes of education, persons who have to take up
jobs in foreign countries and athletes, sportspersons and accompanying staff of the Indian contingent going to the Olympic Games to be held in Tokyo. The Centre asked the state and UT governments to designate a competent authority in each district for permission for such administration of the Covishield second dose. The competent authority shall check whether a period of 28 days has elapsed after the date of the first dose, and genuineness of the purpose of travel based
on documents. People will need to furnish admission offers or formal communications of the foreign university. This will also be applicable for students already studying at a foreign educational institutions who have to return to that institution to continue their education. Job seekers must show interview call letters for a job or offer letters for taking up jobs. Sportspersons will need to show nomination documents for the Tokyo Olympics for the early second dose.