NEW DELHI: The Centre Friday said that Covid vaccination, including precaution doses, for individuals having lab test proven coronavirus infection will be deferred by three months after recovery.
In a letter to all states and union territories, Union Health Ministry Additional Secretary Vikas Sheel said that requests have been received from various quarters for guidance in regard to the administration of precaution dose to the eligible persons having Covid illness.
"Please note that: -In case of individuals having lab test proven SARS-2 COVID-19 illness, all Covid vaccination including Precaution dose to be deferred by 3 months after recovery," he said.
"I request you to kindly direct the concerned officials to take note," Sheel said in the letter.
The suggestion is based on scientific evidence and recommendation of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation, he said.
COVID-19 vaccination of adolescents aged 15 to 18 years started from January 3, and the administration of precaution dose for Health Care Workers (HCWS), Front Line Workers (FLWs) and persons aged 60 years and above with co-morbidities has started from January 10.
The prioritisation and sequencing of this precaution dose is based on the completion of nine months i.e.39 weeks from the date of administration of the 2nd dose.
The cumulative COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country crossed 161.05 crore on Friday, the Union Health Ministry said.
More than 58 lakh (58,37,209) vaccine doses were administered till 7 pm on Friday.
At least 74 lakh (74,27,700) precaution doses for the identified categories of beneficiaries have been administered so far, it said.
The daily vaccination tally is expected to increase with the compilation of the final reports for the day by late night, the ministry said.
The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 with healthcare workers getting inoculated in the first phase.
The vaccination of frontline workers started from February 2.
The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination commenced from March 1 for people over 60 years of age and those aged 45 and above with specified co-morbid conditions.
The country launched vaccination for all people aged more than 45 years from April 1.
The government then decided to expand its vaccination drive by allowing everyone above 18 to be vaccinated from May 1.
The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination commenced from January 3 for adolescents in the age group of 15-18 years.
India began administering the precaution dose of COVID-19 vaccine to healthcare workers and frontline workers, including the personnel deployed for election duty, and those aged 60 and above with comorbidities from January 10 amid the country witnessing a spike in coronavirus infections fuelled by Omicron variant of the virus.