The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has come out with a fact sheet about COVID-19 vaccines and shared a list of guidelines. The Union ministry has issued an advisory about who will be administered the doses of the vaccines and how one can be excluded from it and under what circumstances.
The new advisory comes in the backdrop of India getting ready to start its COVID-19 vaccination drive from tomorrow (January 16). Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slated to kick start the drive via video conferencing, according to a statement made by the government on Thursday (January 14).
Check the Dos and Don'ts of COVID-19 vaccines, as per the advisory:
-The vaccines against COVID-19 are only available for those 18 years of age and above.
-The vaccine has to be administered in two doses; the second dose after an interval of 14 days.
-People should receive the second dose of the same vaccine as the first dose.
-The interchanging of vaccines is not allowed.
Check these contraindications for people that can be excluded from getting the vaccine, as per the ministry:
-Those with a history of anaphylactic or allergic reaction to a previous dose of COVID-19 vaccine and those with immediate or delayed onset anaphylaxis or reaction to vaccine and other injectable therapies, pharmaceutical products, and food-items.
-Since no pregnant or lactating woman has been a part of any COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial so far, women who are pregnant or not sure of their pregnancy as well as lactating women should not receive COVID-19 vaccine at this time.
Some provisional contraindications have been brought out, where vaccination can be deferred for 4-8 weeks after recovery. This includes COVID-19 patients, who have been given convalescent plasma or antibodies, and acutely unwell and hospitalised patients due to any illness.