Along with the rollout of vaccines in India, there has also been a spread of fake news impeding people from getting their jab.
Lately, there have been rumours claiming that the administration of vaccines may lead to infertility or sterility in the patients. However, Niti Aayog member and Pediatrician Dr V.K Paul refuted these claims stating that jabs are safe and there is no such threat posed by them
"The vaccines administered are completely safe and effective and there is no evidence of impotence or sterility caused " he said.
The Union Health Ministry also clarified in the FAQs posted on the website that none of COVID-19 vaccines affect fertility of either men or women, as all vaccines and their constituents are tested first on animals and later in humans to assess if they have any such side effects
It further said that the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) has also recommended COVID vaccination for all lactating women, terming it as safe with no need to stop or pause breastfeeding before or after the inoculation.
In a recent interview, Dr N K Arora, chairperson of COVID-19 Working Group of National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) also countered the fears and allegations.
He said that misinformation was also created during the administering of polio vaccine in India and abroad that children who are getting the vaccine may face infertility in the future. He assured that all vaccines go through intense scientific researches and none of the vaccines have this sort of side-effect.
Meanwhile, India's cumulative COVID vaccination coverage exceeded 35.75 crore (35,75,53,612) on Monday comprising over 10.57 crore jabs administered in the age group between 18-44 years, health officials said on Tuesday.
Citing the provisional report received at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) said over 45 lakh (45,82,246) vaccine doses were administered in the last 24 hours.
Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka and Maharashtra have administered more than 50 lakh first dose of COVID-19 vaccine in the age group between 18-44 years.
The vaccination exercise, as a tool to protect the most vulnerable population groups in the country from COVID-19, continues to be regularly reviewed and monitored at the highest level, the Ministry said.
India started its vaccination drive on January 16 this year. On June 21, new phase of universalization of the COVID vaccination drive was also started to accelerate it considering the increasing threat of the disease which so far has infected 3,05,02,362 people since the beginning of the pandemic.
On Tuesday, the country recorded 34,703 fresh COVID cases, the lowest in 111 days. A total of 553 deaths were also reported in the last 24 hours, a relief since April 6.
This comes just four days after the country crossed the grim four-lakh-deaths milestone due to COVID.
(With inputs from agencies)
