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INDIA LAUNCHES ITS LARGEST VACCINATION DRIVE

YB WEB DESK. Dated: 1/18/2021 11:41:00 AM

T K NANDANAN Amid different kinds of side-effects and even deaths reported from certain countries after taking theCovid vaccine, India on Saturday launched the world’s largest vaccination drive in which about three crore healthcare and frontline workers including security forces will be the first to get vaccinated against the deadly Covid-19 pandemic, which has infected over 1 crore people and claimed 1.52 lakh lives in nine months. Over 1.91 lakh people were inoculated with Covaxin and Covishield vaccines on Saturday alone. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated citizens and scientists and urged people to follow Covidappropriate behaviour and to take 2nd dose of vaccine on time. Prime Minister also alerted people against the rumours spread about the vaccines. He said Indian vaccines are the cheapest and the best in the world. Despite being the assurance offered by the Indian Covid vaccine companies, a35-year-old nurse in Kolkata lost her consciousness within minutes of taking the Covid-19 vaccine. In Maharashtra 14 people were reported adverse effects. 52 and 13 adverse events reported in Delhi and Haryana respectively. As regards the efficacy ofCovaxin and Covishield vaccines, expert opinions are also coming out. Covaxin produced by Bharat Biotech’s vaccine is reported to be not yet completed its Phase III trials. When Covaxin’s emergency use was approved by the government, it was done under clinical trial mode. This is evident from the fact that when those receiving the vaccine in several states were asked to sign a consent form agreeing to be part of such a clinical trial. Whereas, Covishield produced by Oxford AstraZeneca has completed its Phase III clinical trials. This is why the resident doctors of government-run Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital demanded they be administered Covishield as it has completed all the three stages of trials as required under protocol. However, the Union government tried to underplay apprehensions saying a lot of work hasgone into the development of the two vaccines and both are safe. Meanwhile, as many as 23 people from Norway have been reported to be dead following their immunisation with the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine against Covid-19. At present, two Covid-19 vaccines- Comirnaty from BioNtech/Pfizer and Moderna are being used in Norway. Also, several deaths from elsewhere are being reported. However, fatalities are not reported from anywhere in the country though two vaccines having been taken by around two lakh people. However, Bharat Biotech will pay compensation to recipients in case of any serious adverse effects experienced after receiving the antidote. In the case of Covaxin vaccine produced by Bharat Biotech, which has not yet completed the phase III trials, why has the government taken such a hasty decision to approve the vaccine? It should have been better for the Union government to wait a little more time so as to complete the final clinical trial than the Central government opted to introduce the vaccine for the people. Still, time is not over, and at present, the government can recommend Covishield and later Covaxin can be introduced after completing its phase III trials so that people can take the vaccine without side-effects.