COVID-19 Positive Patients may be Deprived of Vaccination

COVID positive cases may be deferred of vaccination, including booster dose by almost 3 months as per the health ministry.

"In case of individuals having lab test proven SARS-2 COVID-19 illness, all COVID vaccinations including precaution dose to be deferred by three months after recovery", said Vikas Sheel, Additional Secretary & Mission Director (NHM) in a letter to states and UTs.

‘Health Ministry has asked the states and UTs to defer vaccination, including the precaution dose, by three months if the beneficiary tests positive. ’

The letter further reads that the requests had been made from various quarters for guidance concerning the administration of precaution dose to the eligible persons having COVID illness. The guidance is based on scientific evidence and the recommendation of the National Technical Advisory Group (NTGAI), which adds further.

The vaccination drive for adolescents aged 15 to 18 years started from January 3, while the administration of precaution doses for Health Care Workers, Front Line Workers, and persons aged 60 years and above with co-morbidities began from January 10. The prioritization and sequencing of the precaution dose are based on the completion of nine months i.e. 39 weeks from the date of administration of the second dose.

With the administration of over 67 lakh vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, India's COVID inoculation coverage has reached 161.16 crores as of this morning.

Meanwhile, India on Saturday reported 3,37,704 fresh COVID cases with 488 deaths in the last 24 hrs. With the addition of 488 new deaths, the total deaths toll has climbed to 4,88,884.

Source: IANS