Corona Vaccine Update: Price, registration, side-effects; All your FAQs answered

New Delhi, Apr 22: As India grapples with massive coronavirus infections, people arriving at vaccination centers have been turned away in some parts of the country as there is shortage of jabs.
Pharmacies across the country are reporting shortages and this has led to a boom in blackmarket sales of these drugs.

Amid the crisis, the government has announced that everyone above 18 years of age will be eligible to get vaccinated against coronavirus from May 1, as it liberalised the vaccination drive to allow states, private hospitals and industrial establishments to procure the doses directly from manufacturers.

While India has been administering two vaccines - Covishield and Covaxin - from January 16 when the vaccination drive started in the country, Russia's Sputnik V has also been approved by the Indian drug regulator and the same is likely to be available soon.

Who are included in Phase 3 of India's vaccination?

The government has allowed vaccination for those above 18 years of age from May 1 at various vaccination centres across the country.

What changes from May 1?

From May 1 onwards, state governments and private hospitals will be able to procure vaccines directly from manufacturers at the price that the latter choose to set.

Is COVID-19 vaccine free for all?

The central government will continue its free vaccination drive for those above 45 years, healthcare workers and frontline workers. At private hospitals, people who were 45 and above could get either vaccine for Rs 250.

However, several states have announced that they will provide free COVID-19 vaccines to all from May 1, 2021. The states Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Sikkim, Bihar have announced free vaccine for all.

What is the cost of Covishield?

The Price of Covishield has been fixed at Rs 400 a shot for States and Rs 600 a shot for private hospitals. Bharat Biotech and Dr Reddy's, which will distribute the Russian Sputnik V shot have not made an announcement yet.

Which vaccine is better between Covisheild and Covaxin?

There is no head-to-head comparison done between the two vaccines being used in India so one cannot choose one over the other. Both would work fine in preventing the infection as well as prevent a person from going into severe state of the disease. As a long-term effect, it would be preventing death for elderly people or those who have comorbidities.

When can I register for COVID vaccine?

The registrations will start on the Central government's CoWIN platform on April 28.

How can I self-register?

Beneficiaries will be able to register and book appointments for vaccination, anytime and anywhere. Register on the Co-WIN Portal and schedule your vaccination appointment. https://www.cowin.gov.in/home

Where can I get the vaccine from?
Vaccines are available from Government and Private Health Facilities as notified, known as COVID Vaccination Centres (CVCs)

What about my second dose? Do I have to register again?

No. Oncevaccinated, the beneficiary will be automatically scheduled for another appointment for the second dose at the same centre on the 29th day after the first dose.

Can a person get the COVID-19 vaccine without registration with Health Department?

No, the registration of beneficiary is mandatory for vaccination for COVID-19 vaccine. Once registered, notification and information about the vaccine session date and time will be shared with the beneficiary. There will be a provision for walk-in to vaccination centres but they too would need to register on site before vaccination.

What documents are required for registration of eligible beneficiary?
Any of the below mentioned ID with Photo may be produced at the time of registration:
• Aadhaar Card
• Driving License
• Health Insurance Smart Card issued under the scheme of Ministry of Labour
• Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) Job Card
• Official identity cards issued to MPs/MLAs/MLCs
• PAN Card
• Passbooks issued by Bank/Post Office
• Passport
• Pension Document
• Service Identity Card issued to employees by Central/ State Govt./ Public Limited Companies
• Voter ID
• People with comorbidities will have to carry the certificate of comorbidities, in the format shared here by a registered medical practitioner.

Will a Photo ID be required at the time of registration?

The Photo ID produced at the time of registration must be produced and verified at the time of vaccination.

How will the beneficiary receive information about due date of vaccination?

Following online registration, beneficiary will receive SMS on their registered mobile number about the due date, place and time of vaccination.

Will vaccinated beneficiaries receive information on the status of their vaccination after completion?

Yes. On getting due dose of COVID-19 vaccine, the beneficiary will receive SMS on their registered mobile number. After all doses of vaccine are administered, a QR code based certificate will also be sent to the registered mobile number of the beneficiary.

What is the dose schedule of both the vaccines?

The time interval between two doses of the Covishield vaccine has been extended from four-six weeks to four-eight weeks. The second dose of Covaxin can be taken four to six weeks after the first.

Do I have a choice of vaccine I will receive?

The vaccine will be supplied to various parts of India as per availability and distribution plan, beneficiaries load and so at present the option of choice of vaccine is not available.

Will the vaccines be available at pharmacy/medical stores?

Not yet. The vaccines are currently under emergency use authorisation, and therefore, will not be allowed to be sold in the private market,

Do I need to get an appointment only for private facilities?

Registration and an appointment needs to be taken for both the private as well as government hospitals.

What happens to the ongoing vaccination drive?

Vaccination will continue as before in the government of India vaccination centres free of cost to the eligible population - healthcare and frontline workers and all people above 45 years of age.

Is Remdesivir effective in the treatment of COVID-19?

No, it's important to understand that Remdesivir is not a magic bullet and it's not a drug that is reducing mortality.

Is it mandatory to take the vaccine?

Vaccination for COVID-19 is voluntary. However, it is advisable to receive the complete schedule of COVID-19 vaccine for protecting oneself against this disease and also to limit the spread of this disease to the close contacts including family members, friends, relatives and co-workers.

Will the vaccine be safe as it is being tested and introduced in a short span of time?

Vaccines will be introduced in the country only after the regulatory bodies clear it based on its safety and efficacy.

What are the symptoms after vaccination?

Fever, chills, body pain, tiredness, redness and pain at the injection point. If these come, please take simple paracetamol. It will be ok in 2-3 days.

Can a pregnant woman or feeding mother take the vaccine shot?

As per the latest regulation, it is not advised to get vaccinated if you are pregnant or feeding.

What are the most common side effects after getting a COVID-19 vaccine?

A severe or persistent headache or blurred vision, shortness of breath, chest pain, leg swelling or persistent abdominal painunusual skin bruising and/or pinpoint round spots beyond the site of injection.

However, both the vaccines are safe and effective. Over 20 million doses have been administered worldwide and only a few cases of their rare side-effects have been reported.

Can heart patients take the vaccine?
Yes.

What to expect after vaccination?

Do I need to wear a mask after taking vaccine?

Yes, it is absolutely necessary that everyone who has received the COVID-19 vaccine should continue to follow the COVID-19 appropriate behaviour i.e., mask, do gaj ki doori and hand sanitisation to protect themselves and those around from spreading the infection.

How many people tested COVID positive after getting vaccinated?

As per the government data, about 0.04% of people tested positive after second dose of Covaxin and 0.03% after second dose of Covishield. 10,03,02,745 recipients of one Covishield dose, 17,145 have tested positive, while out of the 93,56,436 who have received the first dose of Covaxin, 4,208 have tested Covid positive.

Can I test COVID positive after getting vaccinated?

It takes two weeks for the body to build protection (immunity) against the virus that causes COVID-19. So,it is possible a person could still get COVID-19 before or just after vaccination and then get sick because the vaccine did not have enough time to provide protection.

What if you miss second dose?

One can delay the completion of his/her two-shot vaccination by up to two months. There will be no major issues if someone misses the second dose. It's fine up to 2 months. after that the person can go for an antibody test to confirm whether he has acquired some immunity,

How long does protection from a COVID-19 vaccine last.

Longevity of the immune response in vaccinated individuals is yet to be determined. Hence, continuing the use of masks, handwashing, physical distancing and other COVID-19 appropriate behaviours is strongly recommended.

Should you worry about the side effects of vaccine?

Fatigue, headache, muscle aches and fever are more common after the second dose of vaccine. These are often mild and last for only a few days. So, you need not be worried about side-effects.

Does vaccination protect me against newer strains / mutated virus of SARS-CoV 2?

The body responds to vaccination by making more than one type of antibodies to virus parts including spike protein. Therefore, all vaccines are expected to provide reasonable amount of protection against the mutated virus also. Based on the available data the mutations as reported are unlikely to make the vaccine ineffective.

In how many days will the vaccination create an adequate immune response and protection?

Adequate immune response takes 2-3 weeks after completion of entire vaccination schedule i.e., after the second dose of COVISHIELD® and COVAXIN®.

Should you avoid alcohol after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine?

As per experts, there is no evidence of alcohol impairing the effectiveness of the vaccine.

What you should do if you are getting side effects?

Both the vaccines are safe but in case of any discomfort or complaint, ask the beneficiary to visit the nearest health facility and/or call the health worker whose phone number is given in the Co-WIN SMS received after vaccination.

Is it important for me to receive the same vaccine during second dose?

As the vaccines available are not interchangeable, it is important to receive the second dose of same vaccine as the first one. The Co-WIN portal is also going to help to ensure that everyone receives the same vaccine.

Does this vaccine provide herd immunity?

When an increasing number of people get vaccinated in the community, indirect protection through herd immunity develops. The percentage of people who need to be immune in order to achieve herd immunity varies with each disease. For example, its 95% for measles, however the proportion of the population that must be vaccinated against COVID-19 to begin inducing herd immunity is not known.