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In the year 2021, the wonderful news that COVID-19 vaccination would begin in India emerged. The development of the COVID-19 vaccine was eagerly anticipated as a means of halting the spread of this pandemic, which has taken over countless lives.
However, there are fears and uncertainties circulating that may prevent people from receiving the coronavirus vaccine. Are you unsure how different COVID vaccinations differ from one another and how they will protect you from the disease?
Continue reading to learn everything there is to know about the COVID-19 vaccinations for India.
Where Can I Get Vaccinated?
Anyone over the age of 18 can now register for Covid-19 vaccine through the CoWIN site or the Aarogya Setu app. The COVID-19 vaccine is free in government hospitals, but you must pay for it in private institutions. These facilities are known as COVID vaccination centres (CVCs).
Which COVID Vaccines Have Been Approved?
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) in India has granted emergency use authorization to two vaccines: Covishield® (AstraZeneca's vaccine manufactured by Serum Institute of India) and Covaxin® (AstraZeneca's vaccine made by Serum Institute of India) (manufactured by Bharat Biotech Limited). EUA has been granted to Sputnik - V in the month of April 2021.[1].
The Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) is a regulatory mechanism that allows vaccinations and medicines to be used to prevent and/or mitigate the effects of life-threatening diseases or conditions like COVID-19. Thorough examinations of laboratory and clinical trial data, including data on quality, safety, development of protective antibodies, and efficacy, are done prior to the grant of the EUA.
How To Register for COVID Vaccine?
Users can register for the coronavirus vaccine using the CoWIN portal and the Aarogya Setu app in the following ways:
1. Registering Through CoWIN Portal
- Go to the CoWIN website and click on Register/Sign in as an individual.
- Enter your phone number and press the Get OTP button. After you receive the OTP, enter the digits on the website and click ‘Verify.'
- On the ‘Register for Vaccination' page, fill in all of your information, including photo ID evidence, name, gender, and year of birth. Once you've completed this, click Register.
- Once you have registered, you'll be given the option of making an appointment. Next to the name of the person who has registered, click on ‘Schedule.'
- Enter your pin code and hit the Search button. The added pin code's centres will show.
- Choose the date and time, then click the ‘Confirm' button.
2. Registering Through Aarogya Setu App
- Go to the home screen of the Aarogya Setu app and select the CoWIN tab.
- Click on “Vaccination Registration” and enter your phone number to receive the OTP. After receiving an OTP, you can proceed to authenticate your identity.
- Fill out all of the information on the ‘Register for Vaccination’ page, including photo ID proof, name, gender, and year of birth. Select ‘Register’ from the drop-down menu.
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2. Registering Through Aarogya Setu App
- Go to the home screen of the Aarogya Setu app and select the CoWIN tab.
- Click on “Vaccination Registration” and enter your phone number to receive the OTP. After receiving an OTP, you can proceed to authenticate your identity.
- Fill out all of the information on the ‘Register for Vaccination’ page, including photo ID proof, name, gender, and year of birth. Select ‘Register’ from the drop-down menu.
- Once you’ve registered, you’ll be given the option of making an appointment. Next to the name of the person who has registered, click on Schedule.
- Enter your pin code and hit the search button. The added pin code’s centres will show.
- Click on ‘Confirm’ after selecting the day and time.
Why are Vaccines Important?
To understand the importance of vaccination for India, let us first understand vaccine meaning in detail. The immune system of our body aids in the protection of the body against infection-causing microorganisms. It is, for the most part, an efficient system. Microorganisms are either kept out or tracked down and eliminated. Some pathogens, on the other hand, can overwhelm the immune system. It is possible that this will result in significant illness.
The pathogens that the body does not identify are the ones that are most likely to create difficulties. Vaccination is a method of “teaching” the immune system to recognise and eradicate a pathogen. That way, if you're ever exposed, your body will be ready. Vaccines are a critical component of primary prevention. As a result, they can keep people from getting sick. The COVID-19 vaccine aids in the production of protective antibodies against the coronavirus in your body. Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 can help you avoid getting infected with the coronavirus or protect you from having a serious problems if you do get sick[2].
Risks Of Not Being Vaccinated
As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), we are still learning a lot about COVID-19 vaccines. Regular assessment and research is going on to revise guidelines. What we do know for sure is that COVID-19 has caused a lot of serious illnesses and deaths in the past year.
If you contract COVID-19, you run the danger of infecting family members, who could become seriously ill. Hence, getting the coronavirus vaccine is a better option. Many activities that you conducted before the pandemic can be resumed once you are completely vaccinated for COVID-19.
Who All Are Eligible for COVID-19 Vaccine?
The Government of India has identified the priority groups who would be given the COVID-19 vaccine first, based on the likely availability of vaccinations, because they are at higher risk. Healthcare and frontline employees make up the first group for vaccinations for India. Persons over 60 years old and those between 45 and 59 years old with comorbid disorders were the second group to get the COVID-19 vaccine.[1].
People over the age of 45 (born before January 1, 1977) became eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine starting April 1, 2021. Starting May 1, 2021, all citizens over the age of 18 became eligible to acquire the COVID-19 vaccine in India.
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Who All Are Eligible for COVID-19 Vaccine?
The Government of India has identified the priority groups who would be given the COVID-19 vaccine first, based on the likely availability of vaccinations, because they are at higher risk. Healthcare and frontline employees make up the first group for vaccinations for India. Persons over 60 years old and those between 45 and 59 years old with comorbid disorders were the second group to get the COVID-19 vaccine.[1].
People over the age of 45 (born before January 1, 1977) became eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine starting April 1, 2021. Starting May 1, 2021, all citizens over the age of 18 became eligible to acquire the COVID-19 vaccine in India.
What Should I Do And Expect After Getting Vaccinated?
There is a lot of misinformation surrounding coronavirus vaccinations for India. Hence, it is important to know the right way to get vaccinated. Let’s look at what you should do before and after coronavirus vaccination:
· Before COVID-19 Vaccination
It is crucial to do you research because there is a lot of misinformation concerning vaccines on the internet. You should acquire your information from reliable sources like UNICEF and WHO and MoHFW. Speak to your doctor if you have any queries about whether or not you should get the COVID-19 vaccine.
To avoid any potential side effects, those with the following health conditions should not get the COVID-19 vaccine at this time: [3]
- If you've ever had a serious adverse reaction to any of the COVID-19 vaccine's ingredients.
- If you're unwell or have COVID-19 symptoms, call your doctor right away.
· After COVID-19 Vaccination
Stay for the purpose of observation. To ensure you don't have any immediate responses, the health care practitioner should monitor you for around 15 minutes after the vaccine is given. Vaccines are intended to provide immunity without the risk of contracting the disease. [3]
While it's typical to gain immunity without experiencing any side effects, it's also common to have mild-to-moderate adverse effects that go away on their own after a few days. [2]
Avoiding crowded settings, physical distance, hand washing, and wearing a mask are all vital safety precautions to take to protect yourself and others, even after getting vaccinated. [3]
What Are The Stages Of Development For A Covid 19 Vaccine?
The following are the stages of a covid-19 vaccine trial: [1]
- Vaccine development in laboratory animals (preclinical).
- Phase 1 clinical trial (with a small number of participants): Evaluate vaccination safety, immunological response, and dosage (short duration).
- Phase 2 clinical study (few hundred participants): Determine the vaccine's safety and capacity to elicit an immunological response (short duration).
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What Are The Stages Of Development For A Covid 19 Vaccine?
The following are the stages of a covid-19 vaccine trial: [1]
- Vaccine development in laboratory animals (preclinical).
- Phase 1 clinical trial (with a small number of participants): Evaluate vaccination safety, immunological response, and dosage (short duration).
- Phase 2 clinical study (few hundred participants): Determine the vaccine's safety and capacity to elicit an immunological response (short duration).
- Determine vaccine effectiveness and safety in a bigger population of patients in a phase 3 clinical study (thousands of participants) (duration 1-2 years)
Both the Phase I and Phase II studies for the Indian COVID-19 vaccines have been completed. Moreover, Covishield Phase ® III trials in the United Kingdom and the bridging study in India are now also complete. [1]
It takes years of research to develop a vaccine. First, we need a vaccine candidate that has been tested for safety and efficacy in animals. A vaccine candidate enters the clinical trial phase after passing a pre-clinical trial.
While experts worked around the clock in the lab, regulatory clearances, which previously took several months, were expedited. It aided in the elimination of any temporal gaps between preclinical and clinical testing stages. Previously, vaccine development required a series of processes, but in the case of the coronavirus vaccine, scientists and regulators collaborated to speed up the process without sacrificing quality. [1]
Sources:
[1] https://www.mohfw.gov.in/covid_vaccination/vaccination/faqs.html#about-the-vaccine
[2] https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/vaccine-benefits.html
[3] https://www.unicef.org/coronavirus/before-during-after-covid-19-vaccine
ARN No: Jul21/BG/13
