The vaccination program in India has picked up a lot over the last few months. Everyone above the age of 18 is now eligible to get a jab. There are currently three types of vaccines being administered. Among them, one is an indigenous Indian vaccine, one is British and the other is Russian. All are considered to be safe and effective and very beneficial in stopping the transmission of COVID from one person to the other.
Covaxin
Covaxin is the Indian-made corona vaccine that is manufactured by Bharat Bio-Tech in Hyderabad. It is considered to have an efficacy of 81%. It is available at a price of INR 1250 in private hospitals. The shots are available for free in government hospitals. Covaxin is administered over two doses. The doses are spread out over 28 days. The vaccine works on the Inactivated Virus technology, which is very safe and effective. The vaccine needs to be stored between 2-degree Celsius and 8-degree Celsius, which works well for India.
Covishield
The next vaccine available in India is the Covishield. It is the globally used, Oxford – AstraZeneca vaccine. In India, it is produced by the Serum Institute of India. It is priced at INR 850 in private hospitals and available for free at the government health centres. The vaccine works on the Viral Vector Technology and has an efficacy of 64%. This vaccine too is given in two doses and the doses are spread over eight to twelve weeks. This vaccine also has a similar storage requirement of between 2-degree Celsius and 8-degree Celsius.
Sputnik V
Sputnik V is the COVID vaccine developed by Russia. It was the first corona vaccine in the world and over the last few months has worked very well to offer protection to people in many countries. It has recently been approved for use in India. It has an efficacy of 91% and is considered to be very effective and safe. It will be manufactured in India in partnership with Dr Reddy’s Lab. This vaccine too needs to be administered in two doses, with a time gap of 21 days between the doses. The vaccine is expected to cost INR 1195 in private hospitals.
Choosing the COVID vaccine
Now we come to the question, how to choose the correct vaccine for you and your family members? The answer is quite simple – go for the one that’s available! Sadly, there is an acute shortage of vaccines in India currently and many people are struggling to find their vaccination slots. As a result, you should take the first vaccine you get as getting vaccinated is important. As stated, all the vaccines are safe and have been approved for use, so you don’t have to worry about anything. Every vaccine has some minor side effects and these side effects, such as soreness and fever, are common to all three vaccines, so you should not have an issue with it.
