Bhubaneswar: The extended gap between the first and second doses of the Covishield vaccine will be effective from Friday midnight. The Union Health Ministry will carry out the necessary changes in the CoWIN portal in this regard.
In an official communication to all collectors, municipal commissioners and chief district medical and public health officers, Additional Chief Secretary of Odisha Health Department, Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra said Friday that the gap between the two Covishield doses have been increased to 84 days from the 42 days stated earlier.
Further online or on-site appointments will not be possible if the period after first dose date for a beneficiary is less than 84 days. However, the slots already booked for vaccination will not be cancelled. However, beneficiaries have been advised to reschedule their bookings.
If however, a pre-booked beneficiary chooses to take the second dose of Covishield even if the period for him/her is less than 84 days, the CoWIN system will allow vaccination of such beneficiaries.
Since the load of second dose Covishield at district level will be minimal, the priority shall be given to healthcare and frontline workers and people above 45 years waiting for their first jabs.
The authorities have also been asked to widely publicise and communicate the changes to all programme officers, managers, vaccinators, verifiers and citizens.
PNN