Amid hesitancy from some quarters, questioning the safety of COVID-19 vaccines, Tamil Nadu Health Minister Dr C Vijayabaskar on Wednesday announced that he would be taking the vaccination. The Minister said that he would be taking the jab at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai, in his capacity as a doctor and member of the Indian Medical Association (IMA). However, it is unclear if the minister will be administered with Covaxin or Covishield.
“There was hesitation initially, but we have overcome it. That’s the reason I will be taking the vaccine on Friday at RGGH, not as a minister but as a doctor and a member of IMA,” the Minister said on Wednesday in response to the question about several being sceptical about the vaccine.
He also said that Tamil Nadu had already received 5.36 lakh Covishield vaccines and 20,000 Covaxin doses in Chennai. “Totally, the state received 5.56 lakh Covishield and Covaxin vaccines in the first consignment. On Wednesday, the Union government sent another 5, 85,000 Covishield vaccines which reached the Chennai airport.” the Minister told the media while inspecting the arrival of the vaccines.
According to the government, a total of 6 lakh frontline workers in Tamil Nadu have been identified for the first vaccination drive. As of Tuesday, 25,908 frontline workers have already been administered the vaccine.
Meanwhile, as several are expressing apprehensions, Tamil Nadu Congress president KS Alagiri has requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to get a Covid vaccine jab to reassure confidence among the citizens, citing instances of his counterparts Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden taking the vaccine.
Health experts have raised questions about the government’s decision to issue authorization for Covaxin. Covaxin, developed by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech company is yet to complete its phase 3 clinical trial, which would establish its efficacy. But the Union government has given the authorization for both the vaccines under ‘emergency use.’ In the vaccination drive, which began on January 16 across the country, healthcare workers and sanitation workers, those who were engaged in COVID-19 duty are being administered with the vaccine first. The beneficiaries availing Covaxin, are required to give their written consent at the vaccination centre.
As a fraction of the beneficiaries showed mild adverse reactions, Bharat Biotech has said that Covaxin should not be given to those who have any history of allergies; a fever; a bleeding disorder or are on a blood thinner; if they are immuno-compromised or are on a medicine that affects their immune system; if they are pregnant or breastfeeding; or if they have received another COVID-19 vaccine. The company has also asked people who have any other serious health-related issues, as determined by the Vaccinator/Officer supervising vaccination, to avoid getting vaccinated with Covaxin.
Bharat Biotech said that some side-effects which have been reported with Covaxin, include injection site pain, injection site swelling, injection site redness, injection site itching, stiffness in the upper arm, weakness in injection arm, body ache, headache, fever, malaise, weakness, rashes, nausea and vomiting.
The company added that there is a remote chance that the Covaxin could cause a severe allergic reaction. “A severe allergic reaction may very rarely occur after getting a dose of the vaccine. For this reason, your vaccination provider will ask you to stay for 30 minutes after each dose of vaccine at the vaccination centre for monitoring. Signs of a severe allergic reaction can include difficulty in breathing, swelling of your face and throat, a fast heartbeat, rash all over your body, dizziness and weakness.”