Almost about 1.63 crore people have received the COVID-19 vaccine in India up till now. In all this while there has been no such case of any adverse effect on anyone though some recipients have complained of certain side-effects or mild illness.
On which many experts have said that these symptoms are expected in a small portion of people and this shall not stop people from getting vaccinated.
If we talk about vaccines that are being given to people of India, Dr. Shashank Joshi, who is a member of Maharashtra’s Covid-19 task force, says that both the vaccines i.e. Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin and Serum Institute of India’s Covishield, are completely safe. Though there are minor side-effects which are expected in some cases, not just for these vaccines in particular, but any other vaccine as well.
Here are certain things you need to know, and some precautions that you should take before and after getting vaccinated.
Before vaccination
- If any person is allergic to any medication, or drugs, it is important to get a clear chit from a doctor first. A complete blood count (CBC), C-reactive protein (CRP), or Immunoglobulin-E (IgE) levels can be checked under medical advice.
- Eat well and take medicines, if prescribed, before taking vaccination.
- Try to be relaxed and calm. If you are one of those who feel anxious, counselling can help.
- People with diabetes or blood pressure need to keep them in check.
- Cancer patients, especially undergoing chemotherapy, must act only upon medical advice.
- People who have received blood plasma or monoclonal antibodies in their Covid-19 treatment, or those who have been infected in the last one and a half months are advised not to take the vaccine right now.
After vaccination
- After being vaccinated, people are monitored at the vaccine centre so as to guard against any immediate severe allergic reaction. They are only allowed to leave after it has been established that everything is alright.
- Side effects like pain at the injection site and fever are common, so do not panic.
- Some other side effects like chills and fatigue might also be suspected, but these eventually go away.
Some Important Points to be Noted
- Vaccines basically work in the manner of a teacher, wherein it teaches the immune system how to recognise and fight an external threat. Here the external threat being the virus that is causing COVID-19. So, it takes up to a few weeks after vaccination for the body to build protection/immunity against the virus.
- So, you still can get infected by Covid-19 in the few days immediately following the vaccination. Keeping in mind that immunity can’t be built overnight.
- Hence, basic precautionary measures like wearing Face masks, hand hygiene, and physical distancing in public places must not be abandoned even if you have taken the vaccine.
