Is the vaccine effective as people are still getting COVID even after vaccination?
As with any vaccine, it is possible for someone who is fully vaccinated with both the doses to still contract the virus. No vaccine guarantees 100% immunity from the coronavirus.
However, the vaccine can prevent the severity of disease and its effect. Those who receive the vaccine are far less likely to be hospitalised or die from it. It will blunt the severity of the sickness caused by the virus.
So in other words, a vaccine will prevent you from getting sick and a mask and other protocols will prevent others from getting the infection. So it is still important to get vaccinated and maintain Covid-19 protocols. Like wearing a mask while going out, washing hands several times a day and maintaining social distance in public. Because you can still be a carrier of the virus and infect those who may not yet be vaccinated or are more vulnerable to the disease.
Are COVID tests reliable?
There are currently two types of diagnostic tests available. The molecular real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test detects the virus’s genetic material. In this test, a 6-inch swab is inserted deep into your nose to collect virus samples to test.
The antigen test detects specific proteins on the surface of the virus.
RT-PCR is the most common test used to diagnose Covid and is very effective if administered correctly. To get the most accurate results, RT-PCR tests should be conducted eight days after suspected exposure or infection, to ensure that enough viral material is present to detect. False-positive results, while rare, can occur with RT- PCR tests because the infection may linger in the body long after recovery.
Which vaccine is better in terms of efficacy?
The Indian vaccination programme began with two vaccines - Covishield and Covaxin, both of which are equally safe and effective. Covishield vaccine in India is the same as the Astrazeneca vaccine in the UK. Both the vaccines have undergone several rounds of testing by scientists before being launched for the public. Even after the launch, the vaccines undergo continuous and intense safety monitoring. Since both the vaccines are equally effective, there is no one vaccine which is better than the other.
Both these vaccines currently available in India are manufactured locally ensuring we have a local supply. The Coronavirus vaccine has now been taken by over 80 plus crore people in India so far, with minimal side effects. The vaccination has been taken by millions of people worldwide.
A few other vaccines are also now available as part of the vaccination programme, such as Russian made Sputnik (already available) and Indian made ZyCov-D. As mentioned earlier, all the vaccines are given approval by the government and undergo rigorous testing and are equally safe and should be taken as soona s possible as per the availability in your region.
Which vaccine is better for international travel?
None of the vaccines approved for use in India – Covishield, Covaxin and Sputnik V – have been approved by the European Medicines Agency - EMA. This has happened because the Serum Institute of India (SII), Pune, which has the licence from AstraZeneca to make Covishield in India, has not applied to get Covishield approved by the EMA.
In June, the Serum Institute of India’s CEO, Adar Poonawalla, said that he is concerned about the approvals and has submitted the paperwork on the Indian factory to the EU drug regulatory agency to get the approval in the European Union.
However, many countries and airlines are now relaxing travel rules for fully vaccinated travellers. Europe is now open to fully vaccinated tourists from certain countries. Now nine countries in Europe are accepting Covishield for travel. Read more details here.
Also, vaccination is not a precondition for travel in the EU or many other countries, because you will still be required to undergo the required quarantine/isolation guidelines in that country. You can travel to several countries with a negative NAAT test, such as an RT-PCR test, or a rapid antigen test.
As of August, the United States has not lifted its travel ban on India but those who have students' visa (F-1) can travel to the country. Some other categories that are of national interest exception categories are also allowed to travel. Read details here.
Russia, Serbia, Costa Rica, Egypt, Ghana, South Africa, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Albania are the countries open for Indian travellers. Those travelling from India do not need to be quarantined in these countries. Negative RT-PCR is all that a traveller will need to enter these countries.
In India, we only have the option of Covishield and Covaxin and would have to get vaccinated according to the availability of the vaccine in our area. These travel rules are also likely to change or be relaxed as the pandemic situation improves in the future.
What are the side effects of Covid-19 vaccines?
A fever or a body pain is a very common side effect of the vaccine and goes away in a few days. This is similar to the side effects children get when they are vaccinated for measles or whooping cough in their childhood. Mostly the fever or body ache are mild and manageable with a Crocin. Getting a fever or a body ache or feeling unwell is a symptom that your body is reacting positively to the vaccine and is developing the capability (making antibodies) to fight the disease. However, it is not necessary that side effects will occur for everyone who takes the vaccine or the intensity can also vary.
Why take the vaccine when we have to still follow all the protocols?
Even after receiving the Covid-19 vaccine, one needs to continue to follow all protocols like wearing a mask while going out, washing hands several times a day and maintaining social distance in public. Because you can still be a carrier of the virus and infect those who may not yet be vaccinated or are more vulnerable to the disease.
As with any vaccine, it is possible for someone who is fully vaccinated with both the doses to still contract the virus. No vaccine guarantees 100% immunity from the coronavirus.
However, the vaccine can prevent the severity of disease and its effect. Those who receive the vaccine are far less likely to be hospitalised or die from it. It will blunt the severity of the sickness caused by the virus. So in other words, a vaccine will prevent you from getting sick and a mask and other protocols will prevent others from getting the infection. So it is still important to get vaccinated and maintain Covid-19 protocols.
Are the available vaccines safe?
Yes, all the vaccines undergo several rounds of testing by scientists before being launched for the public. Even after the launch, the vaccines undergo continuous and intense safety monitoring. The Coronavirus vaccine has now been taken by over 30 crore people in India so far, including our Prime Minister and other senior leaders of the country, with minimal side effects. Worldwide also vaccination has been taken by millions of people. In many countries the infection rate has gone really low and the restrictions have been lifted as a significant percent of their population has been vaccinated. The vaccination is the only way to ensure that the Coronavirus pandemic can be controlled for good.
A single dose vaccine is being available in other countries, so why has the government not brought a single dose vaccine here?
The Indian vaccination programme has begun with two vaccines, Covishield and Covaxin, which are double dose vaccinations. Both these vaccines are produced within the country and thus are quicker to procure, supply and administer within the country.
The single dose vaccines such as Moderna, Sputnik Light and Johnson & Johnson are not produced in India and so their availability is dependent on imports. The government is already in talks with these companies to bring single dose vaccines also to India. But since the global demand for vaccines is very high, it may be some time before these vaccines come to India. Currently, the single dose vaccine is likely to be available in India by 2022.
Why is anyone who is taken to a hospital and vaccinated, dying?
It's not like that. Let’s talk about the Covid 19 infection first. The Covid 19 infection has different impacts on different people. For most (over 80 percent population) it is a very mild infection and only about 10-20 percent people need hospitalisation. Out of this about 3-5 people need intensive care. Often Covid 19 symptoms and disease is severe for people with other critical health problems such high blood pressure or asthma. In such cases, a Coronavirus infection becomes very serious and needs hospitalisation.
In other words, only critical cases require hospitalisation in the first place. Also, patients arrive at the hospital at a very later stage, without consulting a doctor in the first few days of the infection (often trying home remedies only). This makes the situation more critical when they arrive at the hospital.
So the cause of death is not hospital admission but pre-existing health conditions or delay in seeking medical attention. So it is very important that anyone showing symptoms of Coronavirus is tested as early as possible so that the right treatment can begin in time.
Now let’s talk about the vaccine. The Covid 19 vaccine, just like any other vaccine (like polio, tetanus etc) has a few side effects such as fever, body pain, which go away on their own after a few days. Children also get these side effects when they get vaccinated during childhood. Only one in a million of cases gets a stronger side effect that causes serious illness or death. In India, fewer than five serious illness cases (caused by vaccines) were recorded after over 60 million doses. So the vaccine is safe and does not lead to hospitalisation or death for over 99 percent of the people.
The Covid 19 vaccination is for our safety and it decreases the ill effects of Covid-19. However, it takes some time to build the immunity/makes us strong to fight the infection.
Does taking the vaccine make you sick and lead to death?
When a person receives a vaccine shot, for eg: DPT or Polio, there can be some fever, body ache, lethargy for a day or so. Same is true with Covid-19 vaccine too. Some of us might get fever, body aches for a day or two. Some people may not see any side effects at all. Each person's body reacts slightly differently. Getting fever or sick is a sign that our body is reacting positively to the vaccine and we are getting stronger to fight the disease, when infected in future. Vaccines are meant to protect us from the disease, not make us sick. Only one in a million of cases gets a stronger side effect that can cause serious illness or death. In India, fewer than five serious illness cases (caused by the vaccine) were recorded after over 60 million doses. So the vaccine is safe and does not lead to hospitalisation or death for over 99 percent of the people.
There is a rumour in the village that one vaccine is ok and the other vaccine is faulty.
This is not true. Both vaccines work fine in preventing the Covid-19 infection as well as prevent a person from going into a severe state of the disease or death.
How long does the effect of the vaccine last?
The research is ongoing in this regard. While the current COVID-19 vaccines will likely last for at least about a year, they probably won’t offer lifelong protection, as with some of the vaccinations we get during our childhood, such as for measles.
More effective vaccines are being given in other countries, so why not in our country?
The COVID-19 vaccine introduced in India is as effective as any vaccine developed by other countries. Various phases of vaccine trials are undertaken to ensure its safety and efficacy. Also, the vaccines currently available in the country are manufactured locally ensuring we have a local supply. While the government is talking to foreign companies to increase the variety of vaccines available in India, dependence solely on foreign vaccines could make the wait and the process much longer. Furthermore, the Covishield vaccine in India is the same as the Astrazeneca vaccine in the UK.
What is the need for a vaccine if there is no disease?
A vaccine is different from a medicine. While a medicine cures a disease, the purpose of a vaccine is to prevent the disease. It is always taken to ensure that we do not get the disease. So a vaccine is taken even when we do not have a disease. If we take the Coronavirus vaccine, it will ensure that we do not catch the infection in the future or even if we do, the impact is not too severe. If everyone in an area/locality gets the vaccine, there will be no new infections and the pandemic can then come under control.
Why do I get a fever or get sick after taking the vaccine?
Getting a fever or a body ache or feeling unwell is a symptom that your body is reacting positively to the vaccine and is developing the capability (making antibodies) to fight the disease. A fever or a body pain is a very common side effect of the vaccine and goes away in a few days. This is similar to the side effects children get when they are vaccinated for measles or whooping cough in their childhood.
Is the vaccine safe for women who have periods?
It is absolutely safe for women to get vaccinated during their periods. No side effects have been reported.
How will everyone be prepared to get the vaccine?
India has a very strong vaccination programme and a very solid track record of getting children vaccinated for all the major diseases. In 2011, India eliminated the polio disease from the country because of all children under the age of five receiving the polio vaccination. So, we have people and teams trained to convince people to take the vaccination.
Governments, NGOs, famous people, religious leaders are all also convincing people to get their vaccination. So gradually, we should be able to get a significant number of people in the country vaccinated. Furthermore, we all have to play a part in reducing the myths and rumours about vaccination, sharing scientific and reliable information with people around us and motivating and leading people by example.
Those who do not take the vaccine will not get government facilities? Is this true or rumour?
No, these are rumours. The vaccine is currently not mandatory for everyone in our country. However, you must get vaccinated because it will help control the coronavirus pandemic and get our economy, education and general life back on track.
I have registered for the vaccine, but then heard that some scientist were advising against the vaccine. Now I am confused whether to take it or not?
No, these are rumours. Please do not believe in WhatsApp forwards or fake news. Get your information from government websites like https://www.mohfw.gov.in/covid_vaccination/vaccination/faqs.html. https://www.cowin.gov.in or reputed newspapers. All the information is available in Hindi and English. You must get vaccinated because it will help control the coronavirus pandemic and get our economy, education and general life back on track. So if you have registered, please do not miss your appointment. Go and get yourself vaccinated.
I took the vaccine in April, when it was meant only for the 45-year-old age group. But I was not 45 then. Is there any risk for me?
Please do not worry. Vaccines do not differ from age to age. It is the same vaccine, which had earlier opened for people who were 45 and above, to protect them first from Covid-19 as the disease is riskier for that age group. During that period doctors, and other health personnel, many of whom were under 45 had been vaccinated to prevent them from the risk as well from managing patients.
Those who have had Corona, if they take the vaccine by mistake, will there be any risk?
If you have had Covid-19, you still need to take the vaccine. After recovery from Covid-19 the body develops some natural immunity or protection against the virus, but it is still unclear how strong that immunity is or how long that immunity is going to last. So it is important to take the vaccine. The vaccine will help in developing a strong immune response against the disease. You can take the vaccine 4-8 weeks after recovery from the infection.
Should people below 18 years of age take the vaccine or not?
Right now the scientists are conducting clinical trials to assess the safety and efficacy of the vaccine on the kids/people under 18. The researchers are still working on finding the right dose for people below 18 years of age. The vaccines are thus currently not available for anyone under the age of 18.
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