Covid 19 Vaccination

The world is battling with the COVID-19 pandemic as still the specific treatment for the same is not available. The epidemiologists have pinned their hopes on the vaccine for COVID 19 treatment. All around the world, many vaccines have been developed and now given emergency approval after the third phase of the investigation. The Covid vaccination has been made available at all government and private hospitals since March 1.

The Covid vaccination has been made available at all government and private hospitals since March 1.

The main Covid vaccines which are being inoculated are as follows

1. Inactivated/weakened viral vaccine
2. Protein-based vaccine – using protein fragments of the virus
3. Viral Vector vaccines – using other safe viruses to produce an immune response for coronavirus protein
4. RNA/DNA vaccines – genetically determined RNA/DNA to generate a protein

Purpose of Covid Vaccination for 18+

A Covid vaccine introduces into the body some part of the non-infectious virus that starts the immune response to the virus which can prevent disease in infected patients.

18 above COVID 19 Vaccine Schedule

Two doses of the vaccine are inoculated intramuscularly at least 04 weeks apart.

Candidates for above 18+ Covid Vaccination

Due to the limited availability of the Covid vaccine for 18+, prioritization of candidates has been done as follows
1. All personnel on high risk including health professionals
2. All person of age 50 and 18+ above
3. Any person with a co-morbid illness can increase the severity of illness including diabetes, heart patients, cancer patients, or where immunity is considered to be low owing to the co-morbid illness.
Eventually, the vaccine will be made available to all persons of all nations.

Efficacy of Vaccine

Trials have shown the efficacy of various vaccines to be between 65-94%.

Safety of Covid Vaccination

The safety of all the Covid vaccines has been ensured by stringent controlled trials. Vaccines have been found to be effective with no major side-effects in all major trials.

Precautions after Covid Vaccination

As the immunity takes some time (6 -7 weeks) to develop after the Covid vaccination, it is essential that all the universal safety precautions should be undertaken like the use of masks, social distancing, etc. Alcohol consumption has been linked to decreased immunity development. Hence, excessive alcohol consumption has been advocated to be avoided for 4-6 weeks after Covid vaccination.

Various trials are still ongoing to determine the effectiveness, evaluation of the safety profile of various vaccines. Till then the universal safety precautions should be exercised for COVID 19.