Oh, it's New Year and I haven't written anything! Of course no one reads my posts!! (Ha ha) Still I am Hope... For all my future readers a very
Happy New Year 2021!!
Year 2020 had started off normal turning into a chain of unexpected events like straight out of a movie! Year 2021 is continuing but with hope... The fight against the dreaded corona has taken a new turn... A Hope... A confidence...
We are starting with Vaccination and so many speculation... so many questions... doubts are coursing through our minds at this time...
"How safe would it be?
Will it be effective as claimed?
What would be the side effects?
Would we succeed in getting rid of Corona finally - for good?"
All of us are by now done with this life full of restrictions and scare. Anyway, I think, many (most) of us have already started with normal life - doing everything that we once did. May be with the exception of having to wear a mask... Which mostly I see draped around the neck..like some fashion statement! Would this vaccination finally get rid of the "albatross around the neck"?
As per today, 5,63,500 doses of vaccine is delivered to different states. And the vaccine rollout would start from 16th January in a phased manner as per the Government.
The initial phase would cover about one crore health workers and two crore frontline workers.. In the next phase, those above 50yrs of age and those with associated co-morbidities like hypertension, diabetes, HIV, Cancer, chronic diseases etc would be considered.
In subsequent phases others... Probably the Government may give open access via the private market to healthy adults, teenagers, children and lastly to neonates.
Covishield developed by Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) and Covaxin developed by Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical company Bharat Biotech and the Indian Council of Medical Research are the vaccines approved for restricted use in emergency situation vaccine that may prevent COVID-19 disease in individuals 18 years of age and older.
The Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) has issued a
fact-sheet to answer frequently asked questions (FAQs) that vaccine beneficiaries might have.
"The Covishield vaccination course consists of two separate doses of 0.5 ml each. The second dose should be administered between four to six weeks after the first dose. However, there is data available for administration of the second dose up to 12 weeks after the first dose from the overseas studies," the fact-sheet reads.
The second dose is a must because as per the fact sheet the protective immune response will happen 4 weeks after the second dose of Covishield vaccine.
After numerous tests and trials, the Government has given the approval but still how can we not doubt. It had never happened before and probably may not happen in near future... some experience akin to a movie! And, over that the controversies, discussions and doubts... "The Oxford one or our own indigenous one?"
Covid virus seems to be varying... Especially with the findings of a new strain...
"How effective would these vaccines be?"
"How will the whole process be monitored?"
Covid-19 vaccination drive will be virtually launched by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 16. On the same day, PM Modi will also launch the Centre’s
CoWIN (Covid Vaccine Intelligence Network) app to track listed beneficiaries for vaccination on a real-time basis. Right now, only officials have access to it and is being used as back-end software to kick-start the first phase Covid-19 vaccination for 1 crore healthcare workers whose data is being pre-populated in the application. When it does become open to everyone, it will have four modules -- user administrator, beneficiary registration, vaccination and beneficiary acknowledgement, and status updation.
The app has two parts - one that will be used by the beneficiary and the other that will be a back-end module that will be used by vaccinators. The app is likely to be made accessible to the general public for registration by the end of
March 2021.
All good, but is it mandatory for all to get vaccinated. "What if we are not sure about it? Do we have a say?" Of course, the vaccination is voluntary...
And, if we decide to take the vaccination, "what would be the side effects?"
And, hygiene, mask, 6 feet precautions are to be followed even after vaccination. Vaccination doesn't mean every thing is back to normal. Hope people would understand especially those who go around wearing Mask as an ornament around the chin/neck!
Let's wait and see... I have my fingers crossed. Let's join hands and support the vaccination drive. May the efforts pay. May we soon see a Covid-free world again.
Jai Hind!
