Post-vaccination, 302 show ‘common side-effects’ in Pune Metropolitan Region

PUNE: A total of 302 healthcare workers exhibited minor flu-like symptoms, mainly headache, body pain and fever, within 48 hours of receiving the first shot of Covid-19 vaccine on Saturday in the Pune Metropolitan Region (PMR).
Experts emphasised that these symptoms were known side-effects of the vaccine and showed the body's response to the vaccine-borne antigen (virus particles). This is seen even in flu shots. Those who get the shot feel being sick and unwell for the first two to three days.
302 show ‘common side-effects’ in region
Of the 302 beneficiaries — 203 from Pimpri Chinchwad, 88 from rural parts of Pune and 11 are from the Pune city limits — having side-effects, only two showed severe symptoms and needed initial care. Both were from rural parts of Pune, a health official said.
A 35-year-old staff nurse working at the sub-district hospital in Daund showed the weakness of lower and upper limbs soon after the vaccination and was rushed to the Sassoon hospital in Pune the same day. She has an underlying medical condition, including suspected auto-immune disease, which is being investigated. In addition, she has anaemia and hypertension.
“The hospital’s treating physicians have given a primary report stating that the complication she suffered was not vaccine-related. It is more likely to be because of the underlying medical conditions,” said district civil surgeon Ashok Nandapurkar.
The woman has recovered from the extreme weakness of the limbs “There is about 90% recovery. All the neurological investigations are normal. The district-level committee formed to evaluate such instances will analyse the cause of her condition,” Nandapurkar said.
A minor instance of developing severe symptom post-vaccination had happened at the primary health centre in Wagholi on Saturday. A woman healthcare worker had complained of excessive sweating and breathlessness.
Primarily it happened because she had done night duty at the hospital and did not have breakfast. “She recovered within an hour and went home. She is absolutely fine now,” said Ayush Prasad, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Pune Zilla Parishad.
Vaccine scientist Prasad Kulkarni said, “One in 10 vaccinated persons show flu-like symptoms. The most common are headache, body ache, fever and nausea. Some of the uncommon but documented symptoms are dizziness, profuse sweating and abdominal pain but they were seen or documented in 1 in 100 vaccinated persons during the Covid vaccine trial.”