COVID vaccination: Telangana extends gap between two `Covishield' doses to 14 weeks

Earlier the second dose was to be administered within 12 weeks. The inoculation will begin from July 1.

"Almost 30 lakh beneficiaries are due for the second dose in July. Out of 30 lakh, around 26 lakh have to administer Covishield. We have decided to postpone the second dose to two more weeks which is from 12 weeks to 14. Plus we have to vaccinate a certain number of people with the first dose. Due to the demand and supply constraint, we have to change the schedule," said Dr G Srinivasa Rao, Director of Public Health, Telangana.

According to the Centre's revised vaccination policy, the doses will be allocated to states and Union Territories based on population, disease burden and the progress of vaccination. Under new norms, Telangana will get around 27 lakh of doses in July. Of which, 21 lakh will be handed over to the government, while the remaining will be procured by the private hospitals.

Meanwhile, the state government has also announced that in GHMC, 100 Government Covid vaccination centres will administer the first dose to 18 plus groups with prior online booking using the Co-WIN portal.

In all the other local bodies, the government has set up 204 centres for 18 years plus groups with prior online booking using the Co-Win portal.

In all the 636 rural PHCs, the first dose will be administered for 18 plus groups in Walk-in mode, the government informed.