BackCentre to allow precaution dose before 9-month waiting period but there's a catch
An official announcement, however, is yet to be made by the Union Health Ministry
PremiumThe Centre will relax the guidelines for Covid-19 vaccine precaution dose, allowing those travelling abroad to get the jab before the stipulated nine-month waiting period as required by the destination country, according to a PTI report on Wednesday.
However, an official announcement is yet to be made by the Union Health Ministry.
The report further said the decision to relax the norms about the precaution dose for overseas travellers was based on recommendations by the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI).
The NTAGI advisory panel had recommended that those who need to travel abroad can take the precaution dose of Covid-19 vaccine as required by the nation they are travelling to before the mandatory nine-month gap.
Till now, all those above 18 years who have completed nine months after the second dose are eligible for the precaution jab.
The government has received several representations seeking the precaution dose of Covid-19 vaccine for those who have to travel abroad for employment, business commitments, admission to foreign educational institutes, participating in sports events, and bilateral and multilateral meetings as part of India's official delegation.
"The issue was discussed on Wednesday and the NTAGI has recommended that those who need to travel overseas can take the booster shot, before the stipulated nine-month waiting period, as required by the country they are travelling to," a source told PTI.
The country began administering precaution doses of Covid-19 vaccines to healthcare and frontline workers and those aged 60 and above with comorbidities from January 10 this year.
The comorbidity clause was removed in March making all people aged above 60 eligible for the precaution dose of Covid vaccine.
On April 10, India began administering precaution doses of COVID-19 vaccines to all aged above 18 years at private vaccination centres.
Meanwhile, according to Union health ministry data updated on Tuesday, 2,897 coronavirus infections were reported in a day, taking the tally of cases to 4,31,10,586.
The death toll has climbed to 5,24,157 with 54 fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.
The active cases comprise 0.05 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has been recorded at 98.74 per cent, it said.
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