Reduce gap for vaccination of students travelling abroad: Sena MP

The Maharashtra government is now vaccinating students, scheduled to fly abroad, in Mumbai, the Mumbai metropolitan region and in Pune

Shiv Sena parliamentarian Priyanka Chaturvedi has urged the Centre to reduce the mandated gap between two Covid-19 vaccine doses for students travelling overseas for further studies.

The Maharashtra government is now vaccinating students, scheduled to fly abroad, in Mumbai, the Mumbai metropolitan region and in Pune.

“Maharashtra has initiated the vaccination [drive] for students travelling overseas for further studies, however, the 12-15 week mandated gap by ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) has led to [an] apprehension [among students] about [not] receiving the 2nd dose on time (sic),” Chaturvedi said in a tweet and shared the letter she wrote to union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan.

In May this year, Centre increased the mandatory gap between the two doses of Covishield vaccine from 4-8 weeks to 12-16 weeks while retaining the 4- 6 weeks gap between the two doses of Covaxin. It argued that the dosing interval extension was recommended after a careful study without pressure from anyone and in consultation with the World Health Organisation (WHO).

After appeals from several quarters, the Maharashtra government is now vaccinating students, scheduled to fly abroad, in Mumbai, the Mumbai metropolitan region and in Pune. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had announced free walk-in vaccination for students with confirmed admissions to foreign universities at Cooper, Rajawadi and Kasturba hospitals.

“Some states like Maharashtra have understood the concern and opened up vaccination for these students to get their first dose on priority but the problem of getting the 2nd dose on time before July end to enable them to travel on time [remains]. Most of the students have to report to their campuses by mid-August which implies that they would have to board their flight from India by end July or latest by [the] first week of August. The health department of the BMC has also approached the ministry and [I am] hoping [that] you will expedite this crucial decision,” Chaturvedi’s letter says.

The Sena MP sought a “humanitarian response” on the matter from the union health secretary’s office so as not to put students’ “futures at risk”. Last week, Sena minister Aaditya Thackeray asked municipal commissioners of Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur among others to vaccinate students flying abroad on priority. Thackeray, who heads the protocol department, added that his department will consult with the envoys of destination countries to ensure students from Maharashtra can fly safely and smoothly to universities abroad.