As the country struggles to contain the rapid spurt in Covid-19 cases, the government announced the opening of vaccination for people above the age of 18 from May 1. Alongside the announcement, the government also released an updated FAQ pertaining to queries about the optimal period between the two doses and the process of scheduling appointments.
Through a series of questions and answers, the govt helped do away with people’s apprehensions regarding the vaccination drive. Some of the prominent queries answered were,
What is the optimal time interval between the required two doses?
The time interval between two doses of the Covishield vaccine has been extended from four-six weeks to four-eight weeks, while the 2nd dose of Covaxin can be taken four to six weeks after the first. The government also advised the people to take the 2nd dose of Covishield between six and eight weeks after the first and protection from the virus would be optimum during this period however a delay beyond the eighth week may leave the beneficiary vulnerable.
Who can eligible for vaccination in this phase?
In this third phase of vaccination, starting April 1, everybody over the age of 45 will be eligible to be vaccinated. The cut-off date has been set as January 1, 1977, hence one must be born before this date to be able to receive the covid jab. For this phase of vaccination, the govt has removed the co-morbidities clause to make the process simpler.
What happens after I get the vaccine?
The government advises those getting inoculated to positively collect their vaccination certificate after receiving the vaccine shot. This certificate can be procured digitally or as a form of a hard copy but collecting this has been touted as significant by the govt. The authorities have also advised making a complaint on the too-free number 1075 in case one is not given a certificate after vaccination.
How can I register for the second vaccine dose?
Newly eligible beneficiaries can register and book an appointment through the CoWIN portal or the Arogya Setu app. Their slots will go live from April 1. However, new beneficiaries and those who have already received their first dose can now choose when to get the second dose.
The govt stated that with the removal of the auto-scheduling feature for the Covishield vaccine, all beneficiaries including those who had earlier been automatically given appointments for the second dose will now be able to decide on a date and time of their convenience by visiting www.cowin.gov.in.
People’s fears regarding the availability of the covid vaccine and its stock in India were also dispelled by the govt who assured that there are enough and more vaccine shots to be administered to the population of India.
Read all the Latest News, Breaking News and Coronavirus News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Telegram.
Comments
0 comment