The administration of COVID-19 vaccines, including precaution doses, is to be deferred by three months if a beneficiary tests positive for coronavirus, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Friday, 21 January.
"In case of individuals having lab test proven SARS-2 COVID-19 illness, all COVID vaccination including precaution dose to be be deferred by three months after recovery," the Additional Secretary and Mission Director of the National Health Mission Vikas Sheel wrote in a letter to states and Union territories.
"I request you to kindly direct the concerned officials to take note," the letter added.
The suggestion is based on scientific evidence and recommendation of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI), Sheel said.
As per the government guidelines, the precaution dose or the third dose of the coronavirus vaccine is delivered 9 months after the second dose. Healthcare workers, frontline workers, and those aged over 60 and having comorbidities can avail the precaution dose.
The new guidelines come at a time when India is reporting a surge in COVID-19 cases. The country recorded 3,37,704 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday – a small dip from Friday's 3.47 lakh cases – taking the active caseload to 21,13,365. A total of 488 deaths were also reported.
A total of 71,59,992 precaution doses have been administered in India so far, as per data from CoWin.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)