A revised standard operating procedure (SOP) for administration of second dose of Covishield vaccine prior to prescribed time interval – after 28 days but before 84 days – has been issued following a letter from secretary, Union health & family welfare ministry in this regard.
State immunisation officer Dr Ritu Thurr said that as per the revised SOP, this special dispensation will be available to students who have to undertake foreign travel for the purposes of education, persons who have to take up jobs in foreign countries and athletes, sportspersons and accompanying staff of Indian contingent attending Olympics to be held in Tokyo.
Further, the second dose of Covishield vaccine can be availed only at districts hospitals and the districts officials will check whether the beneficiaries fulfil certain criteria specified before administration of the second dose of vaccine.
These criteria include whether a period of 28 days has elapsed after the date of first dose, genuineness of the purpose of travel based on documents related to i) admission offers or associated formal communications for the purpose of education, ii) whether a person is already studying in a foreign educational institution and has to return to that institution for continuing his/her education, iii) interview calls for a job or offer letters for taking up employment and iv) nomination to participate in the Tokyo Olympics.