A government panel has suggested that pregnant women may be offered the choice to take any COVID-19 vaccine and that lactating women can be inoculated any time after delivery.

These recommendations have been based on the evolving situation of the COVID-19 pandemic and emerging global scientific evidence & experience.

Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has accepted these recommendations, which are as follows, and has communicated these to the States and UTs also:

Deferring the COVID-19 vaccination in the following scenario:

• Individuals having lab test proven SARS-2 COVID-19 illness: COVID-19 vaccination to be deferred by 3 months after recovery.
• SARS-2 COVID-19 patients who have been given anti-SARS-2 monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma: COVID-19 vaccination to be deferred by 3 months from the date of discharge from the hospital.
• Individuals who have received at least the 1^st dose and got COVID-19 infection before completion of the dosing schedule: the 2^nd dose should be deferred by 3 months after clinical recovery from COVID-19 illness.
• Persons with any other serious general illness requiring hospitalization or ICU care should also wait for 4-8 weeks before getting the COVID-19 vaccine. 

An individual can donate blood after 14 days of either receipt of COVID-19 vaccine or testing RT-PCR negative, if suffering from COVID-19 disease.

COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for all lactating women.

Also, there is no requirement for screening of the vaccine recipients by rapid antigen test (RAT) prior to COVID-19 vaccination.