Written By: Satata Karmakar | Updated : January 13, 2021 8:56 AM IST
Days ahead of the nationwide inoculation drive against COVID-19, the first batch of the Pune-based Serum Institute of India's coronavirus vaccine Covishield arrived in Delhi on Tuesday morning.
Taking to Twitter, Pune Airport authority wrote: "Ready get set go! Stand by India! The vaccine to kill the disease is being loaded into the aircraft for distribution all over the country now."
India had recently approved two vaccines, Oxford's Covishield manufactured by SII in the country and Bharat Biotech's Covaxin, for restricted emergency use.
The country will launch its COVID-19 vaccination drive from January 16 in what Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called the world's largest inoculation programme with priority to be given to nearly three crore healthcare and frontline workers.
According to the COVID-19 Vaccine Operational Guidelines, the shots will be offered first to an estimated one crore healthcare workers, and around two crore frontline workers, and then to persons above 50 years of age, followed by persons younger than 50 years of age with associated comorbidities based on evolving pandemic situation.
According to experts, yes, you should. Why? Let's understand it from the experts.
Regardless of the previous infection, the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention says people should plan on getting vaccinated when it's their turn.
"It's a pretty straightforward question," said Johns Hopkins infectious disease specialist Dr Amesh Adalja. "Yes, you need to get vaccinated." After someone recovers, their immune system should keep them from getting sick again right away.
"Your immune system is able to identify the virus, and protect itself," said Dr Saskia Popescu, an infectious disease expert at George Mason University.
Scientists still don't know exactly how long this immunity lasts or how strong it is, though recent research suggests the protection could last for several months.
It's impossible to know how long a person might be immune, said Dr Prathit Kulkarni, an infectious disease expert at Baylor College of Medicine. "There's no way to calculate that."
Vaccines, by contrast, are designed to bring about a more consistent and optimal immune response. And they should boost whatever preexisting immunity a person might have from an infection, experts say.
"Since we're in this pandemic, and don't have a handle on it, the safer approach is to vaccinate," Kulkarni said. "You don't lose anything and you stand to benefit."
If you've been infected in the last three months, the CDC says it's OK to delay vaccination if you want to let others go first while supplies are limited.
"All things being equal you would want the person with no protection to go first," Adalja said.
As of now, there are many reports of people dying after getting Covid vaccine shot, but none of the reports is confirmed by the health department. However, according to the experts, some people may experience mild fever, body ache or pain at the site of injection. It is also stated that most of these side-effects don't last beyond 24-48 hours.
Driving licence, smart card issued by the Ministry of Labour, health insurance, MNREGA job card, MNREGA guarantee card, PAN card, passbook of bank or post office, pension documents, passport, service identity card issued by central or state government or public limited companies, Voter ID cards are among the documents that may be used for registration.
