NEW DELHI: The Centre on Wednesday reduced the gap for taking the booster doses of Covid-19 vaccines to six months from the existing nine months after taking the second dose.
Now, the booster dose can be taken by all beneficiaries from the age of 18-59 years at private vaccination centres by paying the amount.
The decision came after the Standing Technical Sub-Committee (STSC) of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) last month recommended reducing the gap between the second and precaution or booster doses of Covid-19 vaccines to six months, given the evolving scientific evidence and global practices.
The NTAGI endorsed the recommendation, said the Union Health Ministry in a statement.
“Therefore, it has now been decided that the precaution dose for all beneficiaries from the age of 18-59 years will be administered after completion of six months or 26 weeks from the date of administration of the second dose at a private vaccination centre," said Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan in his letter to the states and union territories.
For beneficiaries aged above 60 years, as well as the healthcare workers (HCWs) and frontline workers (FLWs), precaution dose would be administered after completion of six months at government vaccination centres free of cost, it added. The corresponding changes have been made in the CoWin system to facilitate the new dispensation.
Instructions in this regard may be issued to all the concerned officials, and it may also be publicised widely, Bhushan added.
He said that the state government should extend the benefits of precaution dose to all due beneficiaries at Covid Vaccination Centers (CVCs) as well as at the household level during the ongoing two-month long Har Ghar Dastak 2.0 Campaign to expedite Covid-19 vaccination coverage in the country.
In May, the government had allowed those travelling abroad to get the Covid-19 vaccination before the stipulated nine-month waiting period as required by the guidelines of the destination country.
The administration of precaution doses to the over 18 population through private vaccination centres began on 10 April.
India started administering precaution doses to frontline workers, healthcare workers and those above the age of 60 years with comorbidities on January 10 this year for free.
On March 16, the vaccination drive for precaution dose was extended to all adults above the age of 60 years.