New Delhi: The Centre has directed to include individuals travelling abroad due to unavoidable circumstances in the priority group to receive the second dose of vaccination in all government-run inoculation centres.
The directions have been communicated to principal secretaries of all states and union territories (UT) by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW) after receiving several requests.
“The Ministry has received several requests from states as well as from individuals, for also facilitating such vaccination for people who have to undertake travel abroad for other urgent purposes such as for availing treatment services for any health problem or foreign nationals who have to return to their country or in any such circumstances in which such foreign travel may be unavoidable and for whom the mandatory 84 days period after the first dose vaccination for COVISHIELD has not elapsed,” a letter addressed to the states and UTs says.
“In view of the above, it has been decided that the dispensation of providing the 2nd dose vaccination before the mandatory period of 84 days after 1st dose of COVISHIELD, may be extended to all such individuals,” the letter read.
The union ministry has also asked the states and UTs to extend the priority vaccination facility to all the government vaccination centres.
“Kindly direct the concerned officials to ensure that that this facility may be extended to all Government COVID Vaccination Centers (CVC) for offering convenience to the citizens,” it stated.
Earlier, the Centre had made special provisions to vaccinate students leaving to study abroad, people who have taken up jobs in foreign nations and sportspersons for Tokyo Olympic Games. Such candidates were allowed to take two doses of Covishield between 28 and 84 days — instead of 12 to 16 weeks applicable in general cases.
Now, the list has become more comprehensive as international travel is being opened gradually.
