The vaccination program is on full thrust throughout the world. In every country, the Government is focusing more on the availability of vaccines for every people in the society. Biotech companies and scientists around the globe worked fiercely to create vaccines against CoVid19. Let us learn about the vaccine and the comparison between them.
What is Vaccine?
Vaccines stimulate your immune system to produce antibodies. It uses your body’s natural defenses to build resistance to specific infections and makes your immune system stronger. Vaccines contain the same germs that cause disease. But they have been either killed or weakened to the point that they don’t make you sick.
Indigenously developed vaccine against covid 19
Covishield and Covaxin are the two vaccines approved by the Government of India for COVID-19. However, the 3rd vaccine by Russia, known as Sputnik V, has recently been approved by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI).
COVIDSHIELD
Covishield was one of the first vaccines approved for use in India, since January 2021. It is developed by Oxford University in partnership with British-Swedish firm AstraZeneca. It is being manufactured in India by the Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII). Covishield has been prepared using the viral vector platform which is a different technology. The Covishield contains a weakened version of the adenovirus that is found in chimpanzees. It is also the weakened form of the common cold virus that is found in human beings. This weakened virus strain or viral vector also has the genetic material of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.
It will trigger an immune response which will in turn help prevent the coronavirus from harming the body.
- The efficiency of the Covishield vaccine is nearly 90%, as per the global reports.
- We have to take two doses of CovidShield at the interval of 84 days or 12-16 weeks after the first dose.
- People above 18 years of age can opt for this vaccine.
COVAXIN
Covaxin has manufactured by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech Limited in association with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Institute of Virology (NIV). It is an inactivated viral vaccine. It is developed with Whole-Virion Inactivated Vero Cell-derived technology. They contain inactivated viruses, which can not infect a person but still can teach the immune system to prepare a defense mechanism against the active virus.
- The efficiency of Covaxin is 70-90%, as per the global report.
- We have to take two doses of Covaxin at the interval of 4-6 weeks.
- People above 18 years of age can opt for this vaccine.
Some Common Side effects and precautions
After getting vaccinated, people may feel pain and tenderness at the site of the injection site. A person can develop some mild symptoms of Headache, Fatigue, Body ache, Dizziness-giddiness, cough, and cold or fever. But this will not stay for long.
Do not get anguish in this situation
- Take as much liquid you can.
- Add more fluid food to your diet(like herbal tea, kadha, etc).
- Rely more on immunity-building food.
- Consult your doctor for proper medicine or supplements.
- Many doctors prefer paracetamol in mild fever or cough and cold.
People think after getting vaccinated, they are free from corona, but that is not true. First 15 days of vaccination, our body is more vulnerable because it is building immunity and antibodies to fight against the virus. The immune system has two main arms, and the first kick in as the body detects a foreign intruder. White blood cells swarm to the site, prompting inflammation responsible for chills, soreness, fatigue, and other side effects. Everyone reacts differently. If you didn’t feel anything a day or two after either dose, that doesn’t mean the vaccine isn’t working.
Precaution is better than cure. So everyone is advised to wear masks and sanitize ourself every time. Take all the necessary precautions that has been recommended. The virus is still mutating in various ways which is why even vaccinated individuals must be careful and alert. It is our responsibility to be safe and make our family safe against coronavirus.
