Union Health Ministry on 17 January 2023 said media reports claiming admission of ‘multiple side-effects of COVID-19 vaccines’ by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) officials are ill-informed and erroneous. While giving an RTI response, a news report claimed that ICMR and CDSCO officials have admitted to side effects of COVID-19 vaccines, citing a plethora of ramifications arising out of them.
Five vaccines against the Covid virus were approved for vaccination in the country. In these, ‘Covishield’ of AstraZeneca and Serum Institute of India Pune and ‘Covax’ of SII were approved. Biological E. Ltd’s ‘Corbvax’ and later Cadila Healthcare Ltd’s ZyCov-D were also allowed for emergency use, although most people in India have been put on Covishield and Covaxin.
Covid Vaccine Side Effects – Govt Calls Reports “ill-informed and erroneous”
A few days ago, a media report based on the statement of ICMR and Central Drugs Standard Control Organization came out, in which in response to an RTI, these 2 government institutions of the country had said that the corona vaccine has many side effects. In the report, it was told about the side effects of all the vaccines used in the country, but now the Union Ministry of Health has rejected this report. And it has been said that this media report is wrong and gives misleading information.
The Union Ministry of Health has said that it is misinformation that ICMR and CDSCO officials have informed about any side effects related to the COVID vaccine and this media report is rejected. The Union Health Ministry has reiterated that only minor problems have been observed in people receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. As it happens after all other vaccines. Mild fever and headache are experienced after getting the vaccine, but no serious side effects have been observed from the vaccine in any person.
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The Union Health Ministry has said that the ICMR has responded to an RTI query about the benefits and drawbacks of COVID-19 vaccines. In this, the organization has given information about the vaccine, the website of the US Center for Disease Control (CDC), and the reputed websites of the Ministry of Health have only provided their links. According to the Union Health Ministry, the benefits of the vaccine are immense.
Several international research has shown that vaccination against COVID-19 has reduced hospitalizations and deaths from corona. Also helped in reducing the severity of the disease. The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization in India (NTAGI) has assessed the advantages and disadvantages of the COVID-19 vaccines used in the country and said that the vaccine has considerable advantages. It is only because of vaccination that the death rate and hospitalization from corona in India have been reduced
All information about the vaccine is available on the website- Union Health Ministry
All the information related to the vaccine is available on dsco.gov.in, the website giving information about Covid 19 vaccines. Central Drugs Standard Control Organization has said that they have no information about the media report. Indian Council of Medical Research has not given any statement on the links that have been shared. That’s why the media report released on the side effects of vaccines is wrong.
COVID booster shot provided- 95% protection against severe disease
Global research studies suggest that COVID-19 vaccination has helped reduce disease severity by preventing hospitalizations and deaths due to COVID-19 and that the benefits of vaccines outweigh any adverse effects. NTAGI (National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization) in India has periodically reviewed the benefits and side effects of Covid vaccines used in the country and supported the findings. Dr. Faheem Yunus, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Maryland, has shared research on it. According to the research, the Covid booster dose protects up to 95 percent from severe disease. It can have very minor side effects and these include fever, body pain, etc.
This research was done on more than 5000 people. BNT162b2 mRNA Covid-19 vaccine was taken for the research. It was found that there were no major side effects of the corona vaccine other than pain at the injection site. No such signals were found, that needed to be controlled. The booster dose provided up to 95% protection against COVID-19 compared to the first two doses. Side effects were especially taken into account in the research. Side effects observed were body pain, headache, fatigue, and injection site pain.
Covid Vaccine Side Effects
- Problems like eye pain, headache, vomiting, weakness, body pain, swelling, and red spots on the body have been seen in those taking Covishield.
- Itchiness, fatigue, back pain, muscle pain, vomiting, fever, and chills have been reported in people taking the Covaxin vaccine.
- Headache, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, swollen lymph nodes, fever, and headache have been reported with Sputnik V.