VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh is likely to administer Covaxin, India’s indigenously developed Covid-19 vaccine, on healthcare and frontline workers at 332 session sites on January 16.
Though 3.87 lakh beneficiaries are earmarked to get the vaccine initially, it is only based on the number of doses supplied by the Centre that the health authorities will go ahead with the drive in the state.
Once administered, the vaccine is likely to cause side-effects like low intensity fever, headache, body pains, allergic reactions on the body and may even trigger autoimmune diseases thyroid, psoriasis and other health complications, stated health officials.
A section of healthcare workers are a worried lot and feel nervous about the impact of the vaccine on their body.
A senior health official said, “Some of us contracted the infection while some succumbed to the virus. Now, we are the first one to undergo vaccination even as its efficacy is not so high and a lot of data on human trials is yet to be out. However, we are ready to take the vaccine as it is meant to safeguard us from Coronavirus.”
But some healthcare workers are reluctant as they doubt its utility in protecting them from the virus. With the UK mutant strain spreading rapidly, they want to undergo vaccination presuming that it could protect them from the mutant virus also.
Andhra Pradesh Government Doctors’ Association convenor Dr D. Jayadheer said “We have advised all our healthcare workers to undergo vaccination without fail and make themselves safe from Coronavirus.”
