The Centre on Wednesday, 19 May, released new SOPs on the vaccination drive, recommending that vaccination be deferred for three months after getting infected with COVID-19. The new guidelines also suggested a waiting period of three months for the second dose in case one tests positive after the first dose.
The government had earlier recommended that those who have recovered from coronavirus, take their vaccine two to eight weeks after recovery.
This decision comes amid severe vaccine shortage across the country, which has forced several states, including Maharashtra and Karnataka, to halt inoculation drive for those in 18-44 age group.
Lactating Women Can Get Vaccinated
Lactating women have also been recommended to get vaccinated, in the new guidelines. However, decision regarding jabs for pregnant women is still under deliberation and is expected to be taken soon.
Vaccine For Those With Severe Illness
According to the new recommendations of the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID19 (NEGVAC), persons with any other serious illness requiring hospitalisation or ICU care should also wait for four to eight weeks before getting the vaccine.
The guidelines also suggested that an individual can donate blood after 14 days of either receiving the vaccine or testing RT-PCR negative if suffering from COVID-19.
The new rules come less than a week after the government expanded the gap between two doses of Covishield vaccine from six to eight weeks to 12 to 16 weeks.
(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.)