COVID Vaccine: Odisha To Now Focus On 1st Dose Beneficiaries As Covishield 2nd Dose Gap Increased

Bhubaneswar: In view of the revised schedule for second dose vaccination of Covishield, the Odisha government on Friday accordingly changed its priority groups to be inoculated from second dose to first dose.

The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) and National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) have recommended that the second dose of Covishield vaccine be administered at 12 to 16 weeks interval after first dose, instead of the previous interval of 6 to 8 weeks.

“In the current scenario, the load for Covishield 2nd dose due beneficiaries at the district level will be very minimal. Hence, priority shall be given for vaccination of first dose beneficiaries i.e. HCWs, FLWs and 45 years & above,” Additional Chief Secretary PK Mohapatra wrote to Collectors, District Magistrates and Commissioners of Municipal Corporations.

“It is to be noted that the revised time interval between two doses is applicable only to Covishield vaccine and not to Covaxin. The time between two doses of Covaxin remains the same — 4 to 6 weeks,” Mohapatra pointed out.