Getting vaccinated for Covid-19 will be voluntary, the Union Health Ministry has said while underlining that the vaccine introduced in India will be as effective as any vaccine developed by other countries.
The ministry listed a series of frequently asked questions on Covid-19 vaccine and responded to questions like if taking a vaccine was mandatory, how long does it take for the antibodies to develop and if it was necessary for a Covid recovered person to take the vaccine.
Six vaccines - one developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with ICMR, second one developed by Zydus Cadila, third one by Gennova, Oxford vaccine, trial of which is conducted by Serum Institute of India, Sputnik V vaccine which is being manufactured by Dr Reddy’s Lab, Hyderabad, in collaboration with Russia’s Gamaleya National Centre and the sixth one manufactured by Biological E Ltd, Hyderabad, in collaboration with MIT, USA are undergoing clinical trials in India.
Is it safe?
The ministry said that the vaccines will be introduced only after the regulatory bodies clear it based on its safety and efficacy. As is true for other vaccines, the common side effects in some individuals could be mild fever, pain, etc. at the site of injection, it added.
Can an infected person be vaccinated?
People with confirmed or suspected Covid-19 infection may increase the risk of spreading the virus at the vaccination site. However, those infected must defer vaccination for 14 days after symptoms resolution.
How many doses required?
Two doses, 28 days apart, need to be taken by an individual to complete the vaccination schedule, it stated.
Who is on priority?
People taking medicines for illnesses like cancer, diabetes, hypertension etc, can take the Covid-19 vaccine as persons with one or more of these comorbid conditions are considered high-risk category and they need to get vaccinated.
Will everyone get vaccinated simultaneously?
In the initial phase, the Covid-19 vaccine will be provided to the priority group - healthcare and frontline workers. The 50-plus age group may also begin early based on vaccine availability.
Is registration with health dept necessary?
Registration of a beneficiary is mandatory. Only after registration the information on the session site to visit and time will be shared.
Photo ID such as driving license, MGNREGA job card, PAN card, bank passbooks, passport, pension documents, service identity card issued by central/state govt/public companies and voter ID.