The whole world is suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic and to stay safe, vaccination is only the option left with us. In India, two vaccines have been distributed to different States and Union territories. At present, beneficiaries have not been given the option to choose the vaccine they will be administered due to the limited availability of doses.
COVID-19 Vaccines of India
Covishield
Covishield is based on the viral vector platform. A chimpanzee adenovirus called ChAdOx1 is the vector that has been modified to carry the coronavirus spike protein into human cells. The adenovirus vector platform for vaccines gained traction during the battle to stop Ebola. The efficacy data of Covaxin is about 81.6%.
Covaxin
Covaxin is based on an inactivated whole SARS-CoV-2 virion, an old platform that is also used to make polio vaccines. A virus’s disease-producing capacity is inactivated under this method. For Covishield the efficacy varies between 70-90% depending on the gap between the two doses given to patients.
Sputnik V
It is a Russian Vaccine, Sputnik V approved by India. It is a vector vaccine based on adenovirus DNA, in which the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus gene is integrated. It uses a weakened virus to deliver small parts of a pathogen and stimulate an immune response. Sputnik V is a two-component vaccine in which adenovirus serotypes 5 and 26 are used. The efficacy of this vaccine is 91.7%.
All the three vaccines follow a two-day vaccination regimen given 28-45 days apart right now and all are intramuscular injections. The eligibility for both the vaccine is 18years of age and above.
Is Work From Home Getting On Your Nerve?
Common Side Effects Of Covid-19 Vaccine
Like any vaccine, the COVID-19 vaccine also has mild side effects which go away on their own within a few days. Also more serious or long-lasting side- effects are possible. But reported side effects of these vaccines have been mostly mild to moderate and do not last for more than a few days. These side effects include- pain at the injection site, fever, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, and diarrhea.
One should alert their local health providers following vaccination if they experience any unexpected side effects or another health issue – such as side effects lasting more than three days. Experiencing side effects after getting vaccinated means the vaccine is working and your immune system is responding as it should. Vaccines are safe and will protect you from COVID-19.
After Getting Vaccinate Can A Person Get COVID-19?
After vaccination, it usually takes a few weeks for the body to build immunity against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. So it is possible a person could be infected with SARS-CoV-2 just after vaccination and still get sick with COVID-19. This is because the vaccine has not yet had enough time to provide protection. So it is suggested to stay home for some days until the vaccine starts its work.
Some Myths About Covid-19 Vaccine
Vaccine Leads To Infertility Or Miscarriage
There is no evidence that vaccines affect fertility or cause miscarriage until now.
The Vaccine Can Cause Heart Attack
There is no relation between the COVID-19 vaccine and heart attack. There have been incidents where people after getting vaccinated suffered from a heart attack but the investigation found out that in a large population that will get vaccinated there will naturally be certain people who will have incidents like heart attacks, this number was not much more than what was seen in the period before the vaccine.
You Can’t Have Sex After Vaccination
Vaccines have no detrimental effect on the sexual life of an individual and neither does having sex have a detrimental effect on the vaccines. However, it’s best to avoid unprotected sex and use barrier contraception for about 12 weeks after vaccination.
You Should Not Donate Blood After Getting Vaccinated
People can definitely donate blood after vaccination as long as they are feeling fit and are not showing symptoms of illness. There is no waiting after vaccination to be eligible for donating blood.
The Need To Speed Up The Production Of COVID-19 Vaccines
Till March 2021, 25 lakh vaccinations were taking place a day, and then in April it was 42 lakh per day but the number dropped to 18 lakh a day in the first week of May, even when the supply to developing countries were banned. The Union Health Ministry needs to reach a minimum of over ninety crore people of the total of 135 crores to vaccinate 70% of the adult population and achieve the goal.
As of date, just 15 crore doses have been given, mainly just first doses. Not more than 2 percent have received the two doses. At this rate, it will take over two years to get to the target. So we have to speed up the production of current and new vaccines.
