Union Health Ministry on May 13, 2021 said that the gap between two doses of Covishield Vaccine has been extended from 6 to 8 weeks to 12 to 16 weeks.
- The gap was increased based on recommendation of COVID Working Group.
- The Ministry in a statement said that the COVID Working Group chaired by Dr N K Arora has recommended extension of the gap between the first and second doses of COVISHIELD vaccine.
- The present gap between the two doses of COVISHIELD vaccine is 6 to 8 weeks.
- The Ministry also sited the evidence of UK, where the COVID-19 Working Group agreed for increasing the dosing interval to 12 to 16 weeks between two doses of COVISHIELD vaccine.
- The Union Health Ministry said, however, no change in interval of COVAXIN vaccine doses was recommended.
- The recommendation of the COVID Working Group was accepted by the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19 (NEGVAC), headed by NITI Aayog Member (Health) Dr. V K Paul in its meeting held May 12.
- COVISHIELD is equivalent (but not exactly the same) to the ‘Oxford vaccine’ developed by the Oxford University vaccine group and marketed by AstraZeneca.
- The COVISHIELD vaccine is being produced in India by the Serum Institute of India (SII).
