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Vax For Foreign Returnees

Bhubaneswar: Now, people returned from foreign countries can get a second dose of Covishield and avail vaccination certificate in Odisha.

If any Indian citizen, who has taken the first dose of Covishield or AstraZeneca in a foreign country, can take the second dose in the State after a prescribed interval period and also get a certificate for the same.

After receiving instruction from Centre, Health and Family Welfare Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) PK Mohapatra has written a letter to all District Collectors, Municipal Commissioners and Chief District Medical & Public Health Officers (CDM&PHOs), in this regard.

In his letter, Mr.Mohapatra said “If an Indian National beneficiary has taken first dose of Covishield or AstraZeneca (ChAdOx1 nCov-19) vaccine outside India, then the beneficiary can register on Co-WIN at the time of taking second dose of Covishield after prescribed time interval and details of first dose can be recorded on the Co-WIN at the same time.”

At present, the gap between the first and second doses of Covishield vaccine is 12-16 weeks.

The Collectors and Municipal Commissioners have been asked to inform all programme officers, managers, vaccinators and verifiers engaged at Covid-19 vaccination sites to implement the decision immediately.   

Earlier, the State Government had reduced the gap period between two doses of Covishield vaccine for the people seeking to undertake foreign travel for educational purposes, for employment opportunities and the India’s contingent to the Tokyo Olympic Games. The interval period was reduced to 28 days from 84 days only for the above category of beneficiaries.

Moreover, the State Government had also issued instructions to the officials for vaccination of Nepali nationals in Odisha.