The Karnataka state government on Friday asked the beneficiaries in the state, who have received the first dose of the Covishield vaccine, to get the second dose only after completing 12 weeks from the date of inoculation of the first dose. The state government’s orders came after the Union government on Thursday extended the interval between the two doses from 12 to 16 weeks for the Covishield shot.
In a tweet, the Karnataka state health department said, “For the information of [the] Public – The earlier interval of 6 to 8 weeks of time for COVISHIELD vaccination between 2 doses is revised to 12 to 16 weeks.”
It further added “Citizens are requested not to come to Vaccination centers if they have not completed 12 weeks after the first dose of Covishield vaccine. This revised time interval between 2 doses is applicable only to COVISHIELD and not to COVAXIN vaccine,” in a subsequent tweet.
Earlier on Thursday, the Union ministry of health and family welfare extended the interval between the first and second shot of the Covishield vaccine, manufactured by Pune-based Serum Institute of India, to 12 to 16 weeks. The extension was made based on the recommendation of the Covid working group, consisting of medical experts.
“Based on the available real-life evidence, particularly from the UK, the COVID-19 Working Group agreed for increasing the dosing interval to 12-16 weeks between two doses of COVISHIELD vaccine. No change in interval of COVAXIN vaccine doses was recommended,” the ministry said in a press release.
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The ministry highlighted that the recommendations by the expert group were also accepted by the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19, headed by Niti Aayog member Dr V K Paul, during the group’s meeting on May 12.
Initially the two shots were prescribed to be taken with an interval of four to six weeks between the first and second doses. However, on March 22, the Centre had expanded the interval to four to eight weeks, noting that the efficiency of the vaccine is increased if administered with six to eight weeks of interval between the two shots. This has now been further extended to 12 to 16 weeks.
Meanwhile, data from the Union health ministry showed that 10,994,304 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, comprising 8,644,671 first doses and 2,349,633 second doses, have been administered in Karnataka as of 7am on the day.
