“Covaxin or Covishield”

Ashiq Hussain Yatoo: The second wave of Covid-19 affected drastically and the phases of Covid-19 vaccination drive has begun already, but many people are still unaware of how the two vaccines Covaxin or covishied are different from each other and have a lot of myths about its use.

Covaxin has been developed by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech International Ltd in association with the ICMR and National Institute of Virology (NIV). Covishield has been developed by the Oxford-Astrazeneca and is being manufactured by Serum Institute of India(SII).

Covaxin is an inactivated vaccine, which has been prepared on a tried and tested platform of the dead viruses.The vaccine is developed with whole-virion inactivated Viro cell-derived technology.They contain inactivated viruses,which can not infect person but still can teach the immune system to prepare a defence mechanism against the active viruses.

Covishield has been prepared using the viral vector platform which is totally different technology. A Chimpanzee adenovirus-ChAOx1 has been modified to enable it to carry the covid-19 spike protein into the cells of humans. This cold virus is basically incapable of infecting the receiver but can very well teach the immune system to prepare a mechanism against such viruses. The exact technology was used to prepare vaccines for viruses like Ebola.

Doses:-There is no difference in terms of dosage. Both of them follow a two-dose regimen, administered 28days apart.

Efficiency:-Both Vaccines have shown more than satisfactory results ever since the inoculation in our country.

Side effects:-After injecting the vaccine, you may have experience the pain at the site of injection, some people also experience headache, joint pain, may feel feverish. These don’t persist for long and generally goes within a day or two.

Myths:- Covid-19 vaccine can cause Covid infection.

Fact:-Covid vaccine does not cause Covid infection. Covid symptoms soon after taking the vaccine occur due exposure to virus a few days before the vaccine, but without symptoms, and the other reason is getting infected during the trip outside for vaccination.

Myth:- There is no need for vaccination if person has already suffered from Covid-19.

Fact:- Covid vaccination is recommended worldwide for every individual. If Covid infection has occurred, the person should wait for about three months before taking the vaccine, but vaccination is must.

Myth:- Covid vaccination cannot be taken during menstrual cycle.

Fact:- There is no restriction nor contra-indication to take the vaccine during menstrual cycle. It is safe and equally effective.

Myth:- Covaxin is better than Covishield as it has fewer side effects.

Fact:-The number of doses of Covaxin given to the public are much less as compared to Covishield. In general, only 5-6% of the healthcare workers had received Covaxin, the majority 94% being Covishield, as per the survey conducted by Association of Medical Consultants recently. Hence, it appears that Covaxin produces less side-effects.

Myth:- The side-effects of vaccination are scary and can lead to death.

Fact:- There are some side-effects of vaccinations, but they do not occur in all those who are vaccinated. As per the categorization, mild side-effects are injection site pain for a few days, body ache, weakness which goes away in a few days. In moderate category, there is fever that extends beyond 48 hours, myalgia (body ache), weakness interfering with regular work, but this can be treated with minor supportive treatment and do not require hospitalization. Majority of the side-effects fall into these two categories. The severe side-effects are noted in only 0.1% of people who are vaccinated, which can occur in others vaccines as well.

And many more myths regarding the Vaccines. Don’t go for myths of social media and other things. Vaccinate yourself as earlier, it’s better to get vaccinated than lying on Ventilator. And as usual wear Mask (mostly N-95),wash hands regularly, maintain physical distance so that we can Break the Chain and be covid-19 free.