Amid the shortage of vaccines in India, the Union Health Ministry has issued new guidelines on the deferment of COVID-19 vaccination for people, who have contracted and recovered from the virus. The Union Health Ministry has accepted the recommendation of the National Immunization Expert Group (NEGVAC).
According to the recommendation of the expert group, "If a person gets infected after the first dose, the second dose to be deferred by 3 months after clinical recovery from COVID-19. Persons with any other serious illness requiring hospitalisation or ICU care should also wait for 4-8 weeks before vaccination."
The guidelines further stated that an individual can donate blood after 14 days of vaccination or testing RT-PCR negative if tested for COVID earlier. Meanwhile, vaccination also recommended for breastfeeding women. No need for screening of vaccine recipients by Rapid Antigen Test prior to vaccination. The new guidelines also recommend that individuals, who tested positive for COVID-19, should defer vaccination by three months after recovery. For the patients who had received anti-SARS-2 monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma. The vaccination to be deferred by 3 months from the date of discharge from the hospital.
The Central Government will provide 5.86 crores vaccine at no cost from May 1 to June 15 to all states and UTs. By the end of June, 4.87 crores will also made available. At the same time, amid the shortage of vaccines, Telangana has floated a Global Tender for COVID-19 vaccine from foreign companies.
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