Covid-19 booster dose time gap cut to 3 months for overseas travellers

New Delhi: Following recommendations from the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI), the Union Health Ministry on Thursday (May 12, 2022) allowed citizens travelling overseas to get the shot before the stipulated nine-month waiting period as required by the guidelines of the destination country.

"Indian citizens and students travelling overseas can now take the precaution dose as required by the guidelines of the destination country. This new facility will be available soon on the CoWIN portal," Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said in a tweet.

Indian citizens & students travelling overseas can now take the precaution dose as required by the guidelines of the destination country.

This new facility will be available soon on the CoWIN portal. — Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) May 12, 2022

Earlier last week, the advisory panel recommended that those who need to travel overseas can take the precaution dose of Covid vaccine as required by the country they are travelling to before the mandatory nine-month gap.

Currently, all those above 18 years who have completed nine months after the second dose are eligible for the precaution jab.

The ministry had received several representations seeking the precaution dose of Covid vaccine for those who have to travel abroad for employment, business commitments, admission to foreign educational institutes, participating in sports events, and bilateral and multilateral meetings as part of India's official delegation.

"The issue was discussed in a meeting of NTAGI held last week after which it recommended that those who need to travel overseas can take the booster shot, before the stipulated nine-month waiting period, as per the booster guidelines of the country they are travelling to," a source had said.

India began administering precaution doses of Covid vaccines to healthcare and frontline workers and those aged 60 and above with comorbidities from January 10 this year.

Meanwhile, India on Thursday reported 2,827 new Covid-19 infections and 24 deaths, taking the total tally of cases to 4,31,13,413, according to Union health ministry data. The active caseload stands at 19,067. The country also reported 3,230 recoveries in a day. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease has increased to 4,25,70,165, while the case fatality rate has been recorded at 1.22 per cent.

(With agency inputs)