Covid-19 patients must give a gap of three months after they have recovered before taking the vaccination shot for coronavirus, according to the latest rules issued by the Health Ministry on Wednesday.
Those who contracted Covid-19 after receiving their first dose of the vaccine must also wait for three months before taking the second shot, the new rules state,
The rules also state :
*SARS-2 COVID-19 patients who have been given anti-SARS-2 monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma: COVID-19 vaccination to be deferred by 3 months from the date of discharge from the hospital.
*Persons with any other serious general illness requiring hospitalization or ICU care should also wait for 4-8 weeks before getting the COVID-19 vaccine.
*An individual can donate blood after 14 days of either receipt of COVID-19 vaccine or testing RT-PCR negative, if suffering from COVID-19 disease.
*COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for all lactating women.
*There is no requirement for screening of the vaccine recipients by rapid antigen test (RAT) prior to COVID-19 vaccination.
*Regarding COVID-19 vaccination of pregnant women, the matter is under discussion and further deliberation by the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI).
The Union Health Ministry has written to States and UTs to direct the concerned officials to take note of these recommendations and undertake necessary action for their effective implementation.
States have been advised to ensure effective dissemination of the information to service provides as well as the general public, through use of all channels of information and communication in the local languages. States have also been advised to undertake training of the vaccination staff at all levels.
The guidelines have been recommended by the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) “based on the evolving situation of the COVID-19 pandemic and emerging global scientific evidence and experience,” the Health Ministry said.
