<p>The Union health ministry on Sunday clarified that already booked online appointments for second dose of Covishield vaccine will remain valid and the same will not be cancelled on Co-WIN platform.</p>.<p>It, however, said requisite changes have now been done in the Co-WIN digital portal, as a result of which further online or on-site appointments will not be possible if the period after first dose date for a beneficiary is less than 84 days.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/gap-between-covishield-vaccine-doses-extended-to-12-16-weeks-985450.html" target="_blank">Gap between Covishield vaccine doses extended to 12-16 weeks</a></strong></p>.<p>The Centre had on May 13 extended the gap between the first and second doses of Covishield vaccine to 12-16 weeks based on the recommendations by the Covid Working Group chaired by N K Arora.</p>.<p>“The Government of India has communicated this change to states and UTs. The Co-WIN digital portal has also been reconfigured to reflect this extension of interval for two doses of Covishield, manufactured by Serum Institute of India (SII) to 12-16 weeks,” the ministry said.</p>.<p>"However, there have been reports in a section of the media suggesting that people who had pre-booked their appointments for the second dose in less than 84 days on Co-WIN are being turned back from vaccination centres without getting the second dose of Covishield,” it said.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/states-to-receive-nearly-51-lakh-covid-19-vaccine-doses-in-next-three-days-centre-986468.html" target="_blank">States to receive nearly 51 lakh Covid-19 vaccine doses in next three days: Centre</a></strong></p>.<p>"Additionally, already booked online appointments for second dose of Covishield will remain valid and are not being cancelled by Co-WIN. Further, the beneficiaries are advised to reschedule their appointments for a later date beyond the 84th day from the date of first dose of vaccination," the ministry added.</p>.<p>The Union government has reiterated to the states/UTs that online appointments booked for second dose of Covishield prior to this change of the interval between the two doses of Covishield, must be honoured.</p>.<p>It advised the states/UTs that the field staff may be instructed that, if such beneficiaries do come for vaccination, "the second Covishield dose must be administered and they must not be turned away".</p>.<p>They have also been asked to undertake awareness activities to inform the beneficiaries about this change.</p>
<p>The Union health ministry on Sunday clarified that already booked online appointments for second dose of Covishield vaccine will remain valid and the same will not be cancelled on Co-WIN platform.</p>.<p>It, however, said requisite changes have now been done in the Co-WIN digital portal, as a result of which further online or on-site appointments will not be possible if the period after first dose date for a beneficiary is less than 84 days.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/gap-between-covishield-vaccine-doses-extended-to-12-16-weeks-985450.html" target="_blank">Gap between Covishield vaccine doses extended to 12-16 weeks</a></strong></p>.<p>The Centre had on May 13 extended the gap between the first and second doses of Covishield vaccine to 12-16 weeks based on the recommendations by the Covid Working Group chaired by N K Arora.</p>.<p>“The Government of India has communicated this change to states and UTs. The Co-WIN digital portal has also been reconfigured to reflect this extension of interval for two doses of Covishield, manufactured by Serum Institute of India (SII) to 12-16 weeks,” the ministry said.</p>.<p>"However, there have been reports in a section of the media suggesting that people who had pre-booked their appointments for the second dose in less than 84 days on Co-WIN are being turned back from vaccination centres without getting the second dose of Covishield,” it said.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/states-to-receive-nearly-51-lakh-covid-19-vaccine-doses-in-next-three-days-centre-986468.html" target="_blank">States to receive nearly 51 lakh Covid-19 vaccine doses in next three days: Centre</a></strong></p>.<p>"Additionally, already booked online appointments for second dose of Covishield will remain valid and are not being cancelled by Co-WIN. Further, the beneficiaries are advised to reschedule their appointments for a later date beyond the 84th day from the date of first dose of vaccination," the ministry added.</p>.<p>The Union government has reiterated to the states/UTs that online appointments booked for second dose of Covishield prior to this change of the interval between the two doses of Covishield, must be honoured.</p>.<p>It advised the states/UTs that the field staff may be instructed that, if such beneficiaries do come for vaccination, "the second Covishield dose must be administered and they must not be turned away".</p>.<p>They have also been asked to undertake awareness activities to inform the beneficiaries about this change.</p>