Precaution jab gap for travel abroad relaxed

THERE IS A NINE MONTH GAP NOW FOR THE VACCINE AFTER THE SECOND DOSE

India yesterday relaxed the waiting period for Covid-19 vaccine precaution dose for those travelling abroad, allowing them to get the jab before the stipulated nine months, as per the rules of their destination country.

“Indian citizens & students travelling overseas can now take the precaution dose as required by the guidelines of the destination country,” said the federal Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in a tweet yesterday.

The decision to relax the guidelines for the Covid precaution dose for overseas travellers was taken on the recommendations made by the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI).

NTAGI recommendation

The NTAGI had recommended the precaution doses of vaccines be administered before 9 months for those who are travelling abroad as per the receiving country’s needs. At present, there is a nine month gap for the administration of precaution doses after the second dose.

India began administering precaution doses of vaccines to health care and front-line workers and 60 plus population from January 10 this year. All those above 18 years of age were allowed to get the precaution doses after the completion of 9 months of their second doses from April 10 onwards.

There is a mix of views of experts over reducing the gap of booster doses in India as less number of people have shown interest in getting a third dose as a precaution dose despite being allowed by the Centre for those above the age of 18.

According to Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, co-chairman of the IMA national task force who conducted a study said the longer gap gives better immunity between the primary vaccination and the third dose against Covid-19 infection. Adding that, he said.

Meanwhile, as of yesterday morning, India’s Covid-19 vaccination coverage exceeded 1.9 billion which has been achieved via 23,804,573 sessions.