As the number of coronavirus cases in the country continue to rise,
and vaccinations have been opened up to the general public,
we have the answers to some of your most common questions.
Your immune system is compromised when exposed to a virus.
Vaccines are a simple way to prevent contracting harmful diseases
and strengthen your immune system.
Vaccines are made from the same germ or a part of the germ
that actually causes the disease.
When you get a dose of the vaccine,
you’re basically injecting the virus into your body
and your immune system starts fighting the virus by making antibodies.
So, if ever you’re exposed to the virus,
your body will know how to fight it and protect
you before it can cause any severe illness.
Some of you may be unsure about this,
but Covid vaccines do provide some level of protection
against the virus by reducing the risk of developing serious symptoms, illness and death.
Your immunity will help you fight the virus if exposed
and will also protect the people around you
as you are less likely to infect them too.
But to limit the spread of the virus,
a vaccine won’t be enough unless we as a community
develop herd immunity.
When a significant portion of the population is immune to a contagious disease
it indirectly provides protection to those who aren’t immune
or don’t have any antibodies.
This is referred to as herd immunity.
This indirect protection will lead to a decline in the spread of the virus
and protect the entire community.
Vaccination is the safest and most effective approach against a novel virus.
So in this fight against coronavirus,
unless we get vaccinated,
we aren’t going to be entirely safe and will not achieve herd immunity.
Go to https://www.cowin.gov.in/home
and click on ‘Register / Sign in yourself’.
Enter your mobile phone number, generate an OTP and click on ‘verify’.
Or you can even sign in using your Aarogya Setu app
After your mobile number is verified,
fill in all the required details along with your photo ID.
Click on ‘Register’ and then go to the ‘Schedule’ option.
Enter your pin code or select your area by district.
Choose your preferred vaccination date and time and hit 'Confirm'.
If someone around you does not have internet access,
please register them and their family for the vaccine too.
Currently there are two homegrown vaccines available to the Indian public
and Covishield is developed by Oxford AstraZeneca using the viral vector method
and is manufactured by the Serum Institute of India.
This type of vaccine is made from a weakened version of the virus
that carries a spike protein into the cells of the human body.
This teaches your body to design an immune response mechanism
without actually causing the disease.
Covaxin is developed and manufactured by Bharat Biotech in India.
It is an inactivated vaccine which is developed through a technology
where the disease carrying bacteria is killed
using certain chemicals or radiation.
It does not infect a person because the virus is inactive
but prompts the body to make antibodies against it.
Although these vaccines are developed using different methods,
they’re both proven to be safe and effective.
The effectiveness of Covishield is close to 90% and that of Covaxin is around 78%.
Please note that the vaccines are not a 100% effective,
so you still need to be cautious for your own safety.
Everybody needs to take 2 doses of either of the vaccines, 5-6 weeks apart.
The vaccines have been approved for people above the age of 18.
The medical industry has conflicting views
whether or not this vaccine is safe for pregnant and lactating women.
Also, there is not a lot of verified evidence
that suggests that the jab is entirely safe.
So, if you’re pregnant or a nursing mother,
please consult with your doctor to make an informed decision for yourself and your child.
Every body reacts differently to the vaccine,
so you may experience some side effects such as
chills, fever, body ache, nausea and fatigue.
These symptoms are actually a sign
that your immune defences are working towards
either removing or readying the body from the effects of the deadly virus.
In case you develop dizziness or shortness of breath,
please visit your doctor immediately.
The best way to cope with all post vaccination symptoms
is to get enough sleep, rest well,
drink plenty of water, have a balanced diet
and cut down on caffeine or alcohol for a few days.
If you want to help contain the spread of the virus, you cannot drop your guard.
Certain mandatory precautions
such as maintaining social distance, washing your hands frequently,
double masking, covering your face with your elbows when you sneeze or cough
should be followed.
The antibodies that one develops after getting infected
will vary for every individual.
You also never know how long your immunity will last.
So, it’s better to get vaccinated when you can.
Clinical trials are on to check
whether you can take the first dose from one vaccine and
the second dose from a different one.
But as of today, there isn’t enough data yet to recommend this type of combination.
So your second dose should be the same manufacturer as your first shot.
We hope that you find this information valuable.
If you have any queries, please feel free to drop them in the comments section below.
We will try our best to answer them or guide you to the relevant sources.
Keep your masks on, get vaccinated and stay safe.