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Don't mix Covishield and Covaxin: Centre sends comparative factsheet to states
Both the vaccines are freeze sensitive and the vaccine vial is to be discarded if found frozen or frozen and thawed, the ministry has specified.
As both Covishield, manufactured by Serum Institute of India, and Covaxin, developed and manufactured by Bharat Biotech, will be administered to beneficiaries from January 16 onwards, the Centre has sent all states a comparative factsheet urging the authorities to be alert to not interchange between the two vaccines. Both vaccines require two doses and thee should be no mix-up between the two vaccines. If a beneficiary is given the first dose of Covishield, then the second dose will also be of Covishield. The same applies to beneficiaries receiving Covaxin, the Centre has clarified.
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Covishield is colourless to slightly brown while Covaxin is whitish translucent, the factsheet mentions.
Both the vaccines may lead to mild effects like injection site tenderness, pain, headache, fatigue, fever etc.
For Covishield, the Centre has mentioned of very rare events of demyelinating disorders "without the casual relationship establishment".
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Vaccination of pregnant and lactating beneficiaries is not recommended. Also, people below the age of 18 years will not be administered the vaccines, the Centre has said.
Both the vaccines are freeze sensitive and the vaccine vial is to be discarded if found frozen or frozen and thawed. Persons having active symptoms of Covid-19, or persons acutely unwell should also be not administered any of the vaccines.
"Vaccine should be administered with caution in persons with a history of any bleeding or coagulation disorder," the ministry has said.
Persons with a past history of SARS-CoV-2 infection, or history of chronic diseases, HIV, immuno-deficiency, however, can be given the vaccines as these conditions are not contraindicated for Covid-19 vaccines, though the response may be less in individuals suffering from any immuno-deficiency condition.
