Govt issues guidelines for COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V precaution dose

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan has addressed a letter to the chief secretaries and administrators of all states and union territories regarding the cautionary dose for COVID-19 vaccination Sputnik V. The letter was sent when the Health Ministry was contacted about the availability of the Sputnik V vaccination as a prophylactic dosage.

The Centre has raised worry over the absorption of the Sputnik V Precaution dosage and has written to urge states and UTs to increase it.

“This is in reference to the queries being received by this ministry regarding the precaution those of his Sputnik V. It has also been observed that uptake of precaution dose of a Sputnik V is only 0.5 per cent of those who are due for it,” the letter reads.

“Reference may be made to an email sent to all States and UTs on May 5, 2022, wherein it was mentioned that beneficiaries who have received two doses both second and precaution dose using Sputnik V (Component 1) in Private COVID vaccination centres (CVCs) after completion of nine months or 39 weeks,” it said.

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On the basis of reducing the gap between the COVID second dose and precaution dose from nine weeks to six, Bhushan mentioned that “Further in view of the recent order dated July 6, 2022, the interval between the second dose and precaution dose has now been reduced to 6 months or 26 weeks for all vaccines.”

The actions that may be considered regarding the availability of Sputnik V (component 1) include, “Private CVCs, which were providing SputnikV vaccine may reach out to the due beneficiaries to receive the due doses both (second and precaution dose).”

“Targeted communication may be established for the due beneficiaries of the precaution dose of Sputnik V,” he added.