Team Herald
PANJIM: Serum Institute of India (SII), Pune has intimated the State government about the allocation of 36,580 vaccine doses for persons in the 18-44 age group, though the doses are yet to be received.
Directorate of Health Services, State Immunisation Programme, chief medical officer Dr Rajendra Borkar said, “They (SII) have intimated us about the allocation of 36,580 vaccine doses. But we have not yet received the stock.”
Earlier, Goa had received the first lot of more than 32,870 vaccines from the Pune-based SII and started vaccination programme for people in the 18-44 age group from May 15, following online bookings through dedicated portals.
Goa requires about 6.5 lakh vaccines to vaccinate people aged between 18 and 44 years.
Meanwhile, the gap between the first and second doses of Covishield vaccine has been extended to 12-16 weeks from 6-8 weeks for all, based on the recommendations by the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) and subsequently by the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC).
Borkar said that in view of emerging scientific evidence, the interval between two doses of a specific COVID-19 vaccine, ie Covishield has been revisited by the NTAGI and subsequently by the NEGVAC and recommended to give second dose of Covishield at 12-16 weeks interval after the first dose instead of earlier practiced interval of 6-8 weeks.
All the beneficiaries who were earlier given a gap of 6 to 8 weeks to take the second dose will now have to wait for 12 to 16 weeks to take the second dose, Borkar said.
This decision of revised time interval between two doses is applicable only to Covishield and not to Covaxin vaccine.
