Finally, timeline for doses
Vaccination for Covid-recovered to be deferred by 3 months; for those infected after 1st dose, 2nd dose to be deferred by 3 months after clinical recovery; all lactating women can be inoculated; no RAT screening of recipients prior to vaccination
The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare accepted on Wednesday the recommendations of the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19 (NEGVAC) with regard to deferring vaccination.
In case of individuals having Covid illness proven by a laboratory test, vaccination is to be deferred by three months after recovery. For Covid patients who have been given anti-SARS-2 monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma, vaccination is to be deferred by three months from the date of their discharge from the hospital.
For individuals who have received their first dose of the vaccine but have been infected in the interim period, the second dose should be deferred by three months after clinical recovery from the illness.
Persons with any other serious general illness requiring hospitalisation or ICU care should also wait for 4-8 weeks before getting the Covid vaccine. An individual can donate blood after 14 days of either receipt of Covid vaccine or testing RTPCR negative, if suffering from the infection.
Covid vaccination is recommended for all lactating women. Screening of vaccine recipients by rapid antigen test (RAT) prior to vaccination is not required.
Similarly, there is no requirement for screening other vaccine recipients by rapid antigen test (RAT) prior to vaccination.
The subject of vaccination of pregnant women is under discussion and further deliberation by the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI).
Union Health Secretar y Rajesh Bhushan, in a letter to the states and UTs, has urged the concerned officials to take note of these recommendations and undertake necessar y action for their effective execution. “You may also ensure effective dissemination of the information to service providers as well as the general public in this regard using all forms of media as well as local language. The requisite training of the vaccination staff at all levels may also be organised,” he said.