Second dose of Covishield already booked online will be honoured : Health Ministry after changes in Co-WIN

Required changes have been done in the Co-WIN platform, consequently online or on-site booking cannot be done, if the 84 days have not elapsed after the first dose.

"Already booked online appointments for the second dose will remain valid and are not being cancelled by Co-WIN. Beneficiaries may be advised through suitable IEC that they should reschedule their appointments for a later date beyond the 84th day from the date of first dose vaccination," a notification by health ministry released on Sunday read.

"However, there have been reports in a section of the media suggesting that people who had pre-booked their appointment for the second dose in less than 84 days on CoWIN are being turned back from vaccination centres without getting the second dose of Covishield," the notification said.

Already booked online appointments for 2nd dose of Covishield will remain valid and are not being cancelled by COWIN.

Others, who are yet to take the second dose and haven't booked an appointment yet, have been advised to reschedule their appointments for a later date beyond the 84th day from the date of 1st dose vaccination.

"The Union Government has reiterated to the States and UTs that the online appointments booked for 2nd dose of COVISHELD prior to this change of the interval between the two doses of Covishield, must be honoured," the notification read.

The Union Health Ministry has advised the Sates/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, it added.

It also advised the states and union territories to undertake awareness activities to inform the beneficiaries about this change.