COVID is a pandemic that has changed so many things about life. From making masks a necessity in life, to making sanitizers an important part of daily life, COVID has done it all. The magnitude at which everything has changed, is as huge as the pandemic itself. All the frontline warriors have been our saviors through it all. So many people died, but the hopes of invention of a vaccine to protect everyone from the virus didn’t.
Scientists invented the vaccine that protects from the COVID. Let us know more about these two vaccines.
In India currently, there are two vaccines that have been granted emergency use authorization by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO). They are Covishield and Covaxin. The covishield vaccine is being manufactured locally by the Pune- based Serum Institute of India.
India’s indigenous vaccine named Covaxin is manufactured by Bharat Biotech and is developed in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Institute of Virology (NIV). While Covishield is made from a weakened version of a common cold virus from chimpanzees, Covaxin is an inactivated vaccine, containing the dead virus which makes it safe to be injected into the body. It is included along with immune-potentiators. These are added to increase and boost its immunogenicity.
Now that we know where it is manufactured and how are they made, let us know how do these vaccines work.
When Covishield is injected into a patient, it prompts the immune system to start producing the antibodies.
When India’s indigenous vaccine, Covaxin is administered, the immune cells can recognise the virus that is dead, and this prompts the immune system to make antibodies against the virus. The antibodies attach to viral proteins, that stud its surface and tear it apart.
Covishield carries an efficacy rate of 70%. This could be further scaled up to 90% if the dosing is given half a dose, followed by a full dose a month later. Covaxin carries over 78% efficacy.
The post jab symptoms of Covishield and Covaxin include common mild symptoms injection site tenderness, headache, cold and cough.
The specification of Covishield is that it is administered in 2 doses and is given between 4 and 8 weeks apart. This can also be safely stored at temperatures of 2°C to 8°C. Covaxin can be administered 4- 6 weeks apart. Also, Covaxin can be stored at temperatures of 2°C to 8°C.
According to some doctors, getting vaccinated can decrease the chances of hospitalization and also it can decrease the requirement of supplementation of oxygen. It can increase chances of recovery at home. A vaccinated person might also break the chain of the virus since the body of a vaccinated person already has the antibodies required to neutralise the virus. Also, once the two doses are administered, one has more chances of a faster recovery.
Some of the post jab immunity boosting tips are to stay hydrated by drinking lot of water throughout the day and following a nutritious diet. It also includes avoiding junk food. Also, practicing yoga and meditation goes a long way in keeping a person healthy. Since pranayama improves the lung capacity of an individual, it is advised to people to enhance their immunity post vaccination.
