Corona Virus Vaccine: Covaxin and Covishield

India has begun the COVID-19 vaccination drive. Many people don’t know how Corona Virus Vaccine: Covaxin and Covishield are different. Oxford-‘Covishield’ AstraZeneca’s and Bharat Biotech’s ‘Covaxin’ are the two vaccinations that India has authorized for emergency use.

 The initial phase of COVID-19 will see nearly three million high-risk individuals, including frontline workers and healthcare professionals, get immunized over the next six to eight-month. According to the central government, either Covishield or Covaxin will be administered. People can opt to not be vaccinated against COVID-19.

About Covaxin you should know

Covaxin was created by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech, in collaboration with the Indian Medical Research Council and the National Institute of Virology. Bharat Biotech, a vaccine manufacturer that has been in existence for 24 years, is exporting to 123 countries and producing 16 vaccines. 

Bharat Biotech was granted a strain by the ICMR to develop an “inactivated vaccine”.The inactivated vaccine is a vaccine that has not been activated. This means that the virus used to make the vaccine cannot infect or replicate the recipient’s body once the Jab has been administered. Bharat Biotech has committed to having a stockpile containing 20 million doses of Covaxin.

It also plans to have 700 million doses before the end of this year. Inactivated vaccine Covaxin is one of the oldest methods for human vaccination. It involves injecting whole inactivated viruses into the body to activate an immune response. This means that the whole coronavirus batches must be grown and “killed” by heat or chemicals. Then, it is made into a vaccine. It takes a longer time.

About Covishield you should know .

The Serum Institute of India is the largest global manufacturer of vaccines, producing Oxford-AstraZeneca. It can produce 50 million doses per month. Covishield is a vaccine made from a weaker version of the common flu virus (known as Adenovirus) that was obtained from chimpanzees. Although it can cause illness, the vaccine has been made to look more like coronavirus.

The vaccine is administered to a patient and stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies and attack any coronavirus infection. Two doses of jab are administered at intervals of four to twelve weeks. You can store it safely between 2-8 degrees Celsius, which is about the same temperature as a refrigerator at home, and you can have it delivered to existing healthcare settings.

Covishield effectiveness

The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine was tested in clinical trials. It showed a 90% efficacy when given half the dose and then the full dose. The half-dose – full dose concept was not approved because there wasn’t enough information. Unpublished data suggest that the Jab is more effective if there is a longer interval between the first and second doses. The vaccine was 70% effective after the first dose.

What are we missing about Covaxin or Covishield?

A vaccine approved for large-scale use is only granted after the drug regulator has reviewed the twofold safety and immunogenicity data. This also includes efficacy. Safety is the ability to use a vaccine safely, taking into consideration all side effects and allergies. The information regarding Corona Virus Vaccine: Covaxin and Covishield are not yet in the public domain. Based on studies in Europe and Brazil, the average Covishield trial effectiveness was 70%. It is unknown what the average efficacy of the Indian trials was.

Dosage

Corona Virus Vaccine: Covaxin and Covishield have both two doses of vaccination. The Covishield vaccine, which was considered an error in design, was more than 90% effective when only one and quarter doses were administered to recipients. SII trials in India were done using two shots during testing.

 Separate the two doses of the Covishield vaccine within six weeks. The interval between two shots of Covaxin has not yet been set by the Drug Controller General of India, but the developer of the drug, Bharat Biotech stated that it would be after 14 days.

Storage

Corona Virus Vaccine: Covaxin and Covishield are both easy to store as they only need to be kept between 2-8 degrees Celsius. This temperature is the recommended temperature for most vaccines used in India. This makes it safer and easier for everyone in the country to store and transport both Covid-19 vaccines.

Who can’t take the Bharat Biotech Covaxin vaccination?

The following conditions make Covaxin not recommended:

• Allergies
• Fever
• If the person has a bleeding disorder or is taking a blood thinner
• After they have had another Covid-19 vaccination

 The company also stated that there is no scientific evidence to support the use of Covaxin in combination with other vaccines.

Covaxin can cause the following side effects:

• Injection site pain
• Injection site swelling
• Injection site redness
• Injection site itching
• Stiffness in upper arm
• Weakness in injection arm
• Achy muscles
• Headache
• Fever

Who can’t take Covishield?

Conditions such as the following are contraindicated for vaccination:

• Allergy reactions
• Fever
• Bleeding disorders

Covishield can cause the following side effects:

• An injection site lump
• Fever
• Vomiting
• Flu-like symptoms

These recent developments not only bring India to the forefront but also open the door to affordable and economical vaccines. Both vaccines are cheaper than the alternatives and the authorities have already announced free vaccinations for priority groups.

 The Covishield shot will likely cost between Rs.250-400, but the Bharat Biotech vaccine could be less than Rs. Experts believe that the cost of Covishield will be between Rs.250-400, but the Bharat Biotech vaccine model could cost less than Rs. The final cost of Covaxin is still unknown.

Get the latest information on the Corona Virus Vaccine: Covaxin and Covishield

• India has given 556 million doses COVID vaccine. Over 123 million people have been vaccinated with 2 doses of Corona Virus Vaccine: Covaxin and Covishield

• Indian health officials have confirmed that Corona Virus Vaccine: Covaxin and Covishield are both effective against the mutated virus in Brazil, South Africa, and the UK.

• India has granted Sputnik V a special emergency authorization. The Russian vaccine will now be manufactured in India by Dr Reddy’s Laboratories. Recent research has shown that Sputnik V does not cause severe allergies.

• India will produce approximately 850 million doses annually of the Sputnik V vaccination.

• Sputnik V is more effective than Covishield or Covaxin in terms of effectiveness. It has a 91.6% effectiveness, compared to Covishield’s almost 90% (global reports), and Covaxin’s 81% (interim phase trial results).

• Bharat Biotech will increase production of Covaxin by 12 million units per month.

• Sputnik, the third coronavirus vaccine in India, will be available and will be shipped to India this month. India’s Sputnik V vaccine production will continue to grow and could exceed 50 million doses each month.

• All vaccine producers of Corona Virus Vaccine: Covaxin and Covishield must sell half of their stock through the free market to the states. The central government will receive the remaining 50%.

• All Corona Virus Vaccine: Covaxin and Covishield and Sputnik V will now be on the open market. This means that vaccine manufacturers can decide the price for each dose of vaccine based on demand and supply.

• There is very little risk of developing COVID from 2 doses of Corona Virus Vaccine: Covaxin and Covishield. Study results showed that 0.03% of COVID cases were diagnosed after taking Covishield, while 0.04% of those who tested positive for COVID had taken Covaxin after receiving the second dose.

• The Corona Virus Vaccine: Covaxin and Covishield is also available to pregnant and lactating women.

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