Who will get Covid vaccine first, how to register: FAQs about immunisation answered

New Delhi, Jan 03: In a momentous achievement for India, drugs regulator on Sunday approved Oxford COVID-19 vaccine Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute, and indigenously developed Covaxin of Bharat Biotech for restricted emergency use in the country.

This paves the way for the roll out of at least two vaccines in India in the coming days.

Get the facts about Corona vaccine

Which are the two vaccines approved as covid cure in India?

The Serum Institute of India, the world's largest vaccine manufacturer, has tied up with AstraZeneca to manufacture Covishield, while Covaxin has been indigenously developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

What are the benefits of getting a COVID-19 vaccine?

Getting a COVID-19 vaccine can help protect you by creating an antibody response in your body without your having to become sick with COVID-19.

How safe are vaccines?

The vaccines have been tested in healthy people and more data from those in vulnerable groups is being derived.

How much does the vaccine cost in India?

Serum Institute of India has said it would price the vaccine at 440 rupees (about $3) for the government and around Rs 700-800 for the private market. Bharat Biotech will price the vaccine at Rs 350.

Is a COVID vaccine scheduled anytime soon?

Yes. Government of India is geared to launch a vaccine for COVID 19 soon. For more information and updates visit www.mohfw.gov.in

Who will get the corona vaccine first?

Based on the potential availability of vaccines the Government of India has selected the priority groups who will be vaccinated on priority as they are at higher risk. The first group includes healthcare and frontline workers. The second group to receive COVID 19 vaccine will be persons over 50 years of age and persons under 50 years with comorbid conditions.

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 one-self 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.

Can a person presently having COVID-19 (confirmed or suspected) infection be vaccinated?

Person with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 infection may increase the risk of spreading thesame to others at vaccination site. For this reason, infected individuals should defer vaccination for 14 days after symptoms resolution.

Is it necessary for a COVID recovered person to take the vaccine?

Yes, it is advisable to receive complete schedule of COVID vaccine irrespective of past history of infection with COVID-19. This will help in developing a strong immune response against the disease.

Out of the multiple vaccines available, how is one or more vaccine chosen for administration?

The safety and efficacy data from clinical trials of vaccine candidates are examined by Drug regulator of our country before granting the license for the same. Hence, all the COVID-19 vaccines that receive license will have comparable safety and efficacy. However, it must be ensured that the entire schedule of vaccination is completed by only one type of vaccine as different COVID-19 vaccines are not interchangeable.

Will the vaccine introduced in India be as effective as the ones introduced in other countries?

Yes. The COVID 19 vaccine introduced in India will be as effective as any vaccine developed by other countries. Various phases of vaccine trials are undertaken to ensure its safety and efficacy.

How will I know if I am eligible for vaccination?

In the initial phase, COVID 19 vaccine will be provided to the priority group- Health Care and Front-line workers. The 50 plus age group may also begin early based on vaccine availability. The eligible beneficiaries will be informed through their registered mobile number regarding the Health Facility where the vaccination will be provided and the scheduled time for the same. This will be done to avoid any inconvenience in registration and vaccination of beneficiaries.

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

No, registration of beneficiary is mandatory for vaccination for COVID 19.

Only after registration the information on the session site to visit and time will be shared with the beneficiary.

How to register for the vaccine?

• Download the COWIN app on your smartphone.
• Upload government photo identity or do an AADHAAR authentication.
• The authentication can happen via biometrics, OTP or demographic.Once registered, a date and time will be allocated for vaccination.
• There will be no on the spot registration and only pre-registered beneficiaries will be allowed to proceed for the vaccination.
• Respective district administration will be responsible for the session management in the CoWIN system.
• They will approve the beneficiaries for session and site allocation. CoWIN will have an inbuilt monitoring and reporting mechanism.

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:

• 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 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.

If a person is not able to produce Photo ID at the session site, whether s/he be vaccinated or not?

Photo ID is a must for both registration and verification of beneficiary at session site to ensure that the intended person is vaccinated.

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

Following online registration, beneficiary will receive SMS on their registered mobile number on 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.

If one is taking medicines for illnesses like Cancer, Diabetes, Hypertension etc, can s/he take the COVID19 vaccine?

Yes. Persons with one or more of these comorbid conditions are considered high risk category. They need to get COVID -19 vaccination.

Are there any preventive measures and precautions that one needs to follow at the session site?

We request you to rest at the vaccination centre for atleast half an hour after taking the COVID-19 vaccine. Inform the nearest health authorities / ANM / ASHA in case you feel any discomfort or uneasiness subsequently.

Remember to continue following key COVID Appropriate Behaviours like wearing of mask, maintaining hand sanitization and physical distance (or 6 feet or Do Gaj).

What about the possible side-effects from COVID-19 vaccine?

COVID Vaccine will be introduced only when the safety is proven. As is true for other vaccines, the common side effects in some individuals could be mild fever, pain, etc. at the site of injection.

States have been asked to start making arrangements to deal with any Covid-19 vaccine-related side-effects as one of the measures towards safe vaccine delivery among masses.

How many doses of the vaccine would have to be taken by me and at what interval?

Two doses of vaccine, 28 days apart, need to be taken by an individual to complete the vaccination schedule.

When would antibodies develop? After taking first dose, after taking second dose, or much later?

Protective levels of antibodies are generally developed two weeks after receiving the 2nd dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

What will be the dosage?

Two doses of the vaccine will have to be taken 28 days apart and protective levels of antibodies generally would develop two weeks after the second dose.

Will COVID-19 vaccines provide long-term protection?

It's too early to know if COVID-19 vaccines will provide long-term protection. However, it's encouraging that available data suggest that most people who recover from COVID-19 develop an immune response that provides at least some period of protection against reinfection.

Can you still transmit Covid-19 after vaccine?

It should be noted that it takes time for vaccines to build up immunity. Vaccines can prevent an exposed individual from developing symptoms of a disease. But whether that vaccine prevents an infection - and thereby stops the disease from spreading to others - presents a gap.

People can be exposed to coronavirus right before being vaccinated, or right after, and there won't be time for the body to develop an immune response. That means it's possible a individual could be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 just before or just after vaccination and still get sick.

Can you mix Covid-19 vaccines?

No, people cannot get their first and second COVID-19 vaccine dose from different manufacturers. This is because, while the vaccines protect against the same virus, but the vaccines themselves aren't the same.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that the authorised Covid-19 vaccines 'are not interchangeable' and that 'the safety and efficacy of a mixed-product series have not been evaluated. Both doses of the series should be completed with the same product."