COVID-19 Vaccine: Important Points To Note

January 16 marks one of the most important days, ever since the world was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Prime minister Narendra Modi launched one of the world's biggest coronavirus vaccine programme today. This programme is aimed at inoculating 300 million healthcare and frontline workers first. India has formally approved emergency use of two vaccines- one developed by AstraZeneca with Oxford University and the other by Bharat Biotech, known as Covaxin. The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, known as Covishield, is being manufactured locally by the Serum Institute of India.

COVID-19 vaccine: 5 points to note

Here are  important points to note about the covid-19 vaccine

1. Who will get the vaccine first?

By July 2021, India plans to immunise 300 million people. Health care workers, emergency services, those in the frontline, and people who clinically vulnerable because of age or pre-existing health conditions will be prioritised first. On day one, around 3,00,000 people will receive first of the two doses.

Covishield will be administered in two doses of 0.5 ml each. The second dose of the vaccine will be administered between four to six weeks after the first dose. The Serum Institute of India has said that the administration of the second dose can be done up to 12 weeks after the first dose.

Covaxin is also two-dose vaccine that will be administered in a gap of 28 days. Recipients of Covaxin will have a to sign a consent form before being vaccinated since its use has been allowed by the government in "clinical trial mode", according to NDTV report.

Also read: How Do Vaccines Work? Know All About Their Safety And Approach From WHO Expert

2. How will the vaccines be administered?

Co-WIN vaccine delivery management system is the unique digital platform which will provide real time information on vaccine stocks, their storage temperature as well as individualised tracking of beneficiaries of COVID-19 vaccine. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said that the platform will assist program managers at all levels through an automated session allocation for beneficiaries who are already registered. More than 61,000 programme managers, 2 lakh vaccinators and 3.7 lakh vaccination team members have been trained as part of trainings at States, Districts and Block levels.

3. Safety and efficacy

The drug regulator of our country examined the safety and efficacy data from clinical trials of the vaccine candidates. All COVID-19 vaccines that received licence will have comparable safety and efficacy, the Ministry said. Having said that, it is important to ensure that the entire schedule of vaccination is completed by only one type of vaccine as different COVID-19 vaccines are not interchangeable.

Also read: COVID-19: How Will The Vaccine Reach You? Experts Tell

4. Who should not get covid-19 vaccine

Under the emergency use authorisation, the COVID-19 vaccination is indicated only for people above 18 years of age. Pregnant and lactating women should not receive COVID-19 vaccine at this time since they have not been part of any clinical trial of the vaccine.

5. Is it necessary for covid recovered person to take the vaccine?

Yes, the Ministry has advised to get the complete schedule of COVID vaccine, irrespective of past history of infection with COVID-19. Doing so will help people develop a strong immune response against the disease.

Also read: Do You Get Symptoms Even After Recovering From COVID-19? Here's What You Need To Know

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.