Covid-19 booster dose gap reduced to 6 months for all adults

The Union Health Ministry on Wednesday announced reduction of the time gap to receive the precautionary dose of Covid-19 vaccines, allowing people to take the booster shot six months or 26 weeks after the second dose.

Previously, the precautionary shot was allowed after nine months or 39 weeks.

“It has now been decided that the precaution dose for all beneficiaries from 18-59 years will be administered after completion of six months or 26 weeks from the date of administration of the second dose,” Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said in a letter to the states.

The same rule will be applicable for beneficiaries aged above 60 years and above as well as the healthcare and frontline workers. Necessary changes have been made in the Co-WIN software that guides the Covid vaccination scheme.

Bhushan said the previous decision was reversed in the wake of “evolving scientific evidence and global practices.”

The Standing Technical Sub-Committee of National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation has recommended to revise the duration between second dose and precaution dose from existing nine months or 39 weeks to 6 months or 26 weeks. This has also been endorsed by the NTAGI.

The government decision came following scientific studies showing that new sub-lineages of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 escape the immunity provided by the vaccines.

“This is a welcome step that will help expand the (booster) coverage, which is essential in preventing severity of illness among the vulnerable in future waves. It is important to ensure every eligible person can access the booster doses,” Giridhar Babu, an epidemiologist at the Public Health Foundation of India, Bengaluru, told DH.

While 90 per cent of India’s 94 crore-plus adult population has received two primary doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, the booster dose coverage, particularly among the 18-59 age group, remains poor.

Only 34 lakh people in the 18-44 years age group and 28.03 lakh in the 45-59 years group took the precautionary shot. Nearly 2.53 crore senior citizens received the booster. Overall 4.79 crore such doses have been administered.