India is seeing a sharp rise in the number of people being diagnosed with heart-related conditions and once again, the reason somewhere seems to be COVID-19. Yes, doctors in many cities across the country have noticed that the people who recovered from severe COVID-19 have been encountering heart issues like heart attacks, chest pains, heart failure, low pump capacity, arrhythmia, blood clotting, heart-swelling, etc.
These issues have majorly occurred within three months of their recovery from COVID-19.
As we all know, COVID-19 is a disease that infects the lungs but what many people did not know is that it also impacts the other body parts, including but not limited to the cardiac system.
While you undergo treatment for COVID-19, your immune system also tries to fight the virus and both these things lead to a high level of inflammation inside the body. This eventually leads to complications outside the lungs too.
This is the reason why people who never had any cardiac issues before contracting COVID-19 have reported cardiac issues after recovering from the infection.
There are plenty of complications a COVID-19 patient may experience after recovering successfully from the disease. Generally, these complications arise within three months of the recovery.
As per the experts, this problem has been mainly found among young and middle-aged adults and elderly patients. They experienced shortness of breath, chest pain and palpitations. Explaining the same, the experts claimed that these complications could be the result of heart-related problems but they can also be the result of other factors, like the result of being extremely ill for a long time, staying inactive for a long period of time, spending weeks in bed to recover from a disease, etc.
The experts have also suggested that people who already had heart-related problems before being diagnosed with COVID-19 must take good care of themselves and take all the precautions, medications and follow-ups with the doctor. This may help them in preventing any major complications.
Furthermore, the experts have figured out that people with diabetes, high cholesterol and chronic kidney disease are more prone to suffering from cardiac problems after recovering from COVID-19.
The doctors also claimed that such cases have become more prevalent ever since the second wave of COVID-19, as there were not many cases noticed during the first wave. Moreover, the doctors have noticed extended use of steroids during the second wave which could be a reason behind these problems.
Experts suggest that people who have recovered from COVID-19 must ensure that they go for regular cardiac screening, and the frequency should be at least once every six months. They should also stick to a healthy diet and follow a regime of physical activities.
Moreover, they also should keep taking the medications suggested by their doctor.
Mentioned below are the precautions a cardiac patient should take post-COVID-recovery under the supervision of a qualified registered physician or cardiologist:
The cases of heart-related complications after COVID-recovery have gone significantly up during the past few months. It is really important for everyone to take good care of themselves even after recovering from the disease. Regular checkups and other precautions may help you keep yourself safe. With the third wave spreading its wings across the country, we should be even more cautious to reduce the effects of the deadly disease to the minimum levels.
Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.
Links and product recommendations in the information provided here are advertisements of third-party products available on the website. PharmEasy does not make any representation on the accuracy or suitability of such products/services. Advertisements do not influence the editorial decisions or content. The information in this blog is subject to change without notice. The authors and administrators reserve the right to modify, add, or remove content without notification. It is your responsibility to review this disclaimer regularly for any changes.
With the COVID-19 cases rising once again in many parts of the country, the speculations regarding the need for a booster vaccination dose against the virus have intensified. Everyone is concerned if they should get the third dose or not.
To make things even more intriguing, the United States has decided to administer their people with the third dose from September onwards. They have decided to inoculate the vulnerable group of people first with the third dose.
There are a few more countries thinking about administering the third dose to eliminate the possibility of another deadly wave of COVID-19.
As per the experts, India surely is going to need a booster dose in the later stages. The government, however, has maintained that the need for the third dose of the vaccine is being closely monitored.
A booster dose is administered to enhance the antibody levels in the body when they start lowering after a certain period of time following the second shot of the vaccine.
The director at the National Institute of Virology, Dr Priya Abraham recently explained that studies have been under process in several foreign countries on the requirement of booster shots and at least seven vaccines have already been tried out. In the days to come, the booster dose will surely become a recommendation for everyone.
The director of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Dr Randeep Guleria has also pointed out that booster doses are definitely going to become a necessity looking at the mutating variants of the deadly virus. He also claimed that the immunity tends to fall as time passes. It happens because of waning immunity.
He said that it still has to be found out if a yearly dose would be required or not and if it would be mandatory for everyone or not.
On the other hand, European Medicines Agency has notified that it is too early to claim that there was any need for an additional dose of COVID-19 vaccine, apart from the pre-defined two doses. It said that they were certain that the current regimen was sufficient for COVID-19 prevention.
Some other experts have suggested that the authorities around the world should focus more on the first round of vaccination as when enough people would be inoculated, the mutated versions of coronavirus would take time to pop up again.
Did you know?
Currently, the World Health Organisation (WHO) is stopping the countries from going ahead with the third dose as there are plenty of poor countries where the inoculation rate is very alarming.
WHO has said that the high-income countries should not go ahead with the third dose administration drive till the low-income countries catch up with a healthy inoculation rate.
Moreover, WHO chief scientist Dr Soumya Swaminathan also highlighted recently that the data available right now does not suggest any need for a third dose for anyone.
On the other hand, the United States health officials have been claiming for a long time now that people might require a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccines just like they do for other vaccines.
Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) chairman Cyrus Poonawalla, recently revealed that he has already taken the third dose of the vaccine and also appealed to everyone, who have already completed their course of two vaccines, to go ahead and take the third dose once it has already been six months.
Furthermore, he said that he has already got about seven to eight thousand SII employees inoculated with the third dose.
According to the media reports, the results of trials of the third booster dose of Covaxin developed and manufactured by Bharat Biotech and the National Institute of Virology, are expected to come by November 2021.
The booster dose of the “Made in India” vaccine was first introduced in May this year. It has been under trial ever since then at 12 different centres including AIIMS in Delhi and Patna.
The Drug Controller General of India (DGCI) had granted permission to run clinical trials for the third dose of Covaxin back in April this year. The results of the first trials carried out in April are expected in August, while the result of the second trial is scheduled to arrive in November this year.
The results of these trials will define the immunogenicity, reactogenicity, safety and tolerability of the booster dose of Covaxin.
As far as Indian and US experts are concerned, they both seem to be on the same page in terms of the need for the third dose of COVID-19 vaccine, while WHO has something else to suggest. The government may soon take a decision on the issue as the cases of Delta plus variant are rapidly increasing in some parts of India and may spread across states very quickly.
Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.
Links and product recommendations in the information provided here are advertisements of third-party products available on the website. PharmEasy does not make any representation on the accuracy or suitability of such products/services. Advertisements do not influence the editorial decisions or content. The information in this blog is subject to change without notice. The authors and administrators reserve the right to modify, add, or remove content without notification. It is your responsibility to review this disclaimer regularly for any changes.
When people were hoping to develop herd immunity after enough people would have recovered from COVID-19 or got vaccinated against it, the head of the UK’s Oxford Vaccine Group has warned that it may never be possible.
The leader of Oxford University’s COVID-19 vaccine developer team, Professor Andrew Pollard, has claimed that nothing can eliminate the possibility of even more transmissible variants of Coronavirus. Therefore, we would never be able to put a full stop to the spread of the virus.
He, however, has also mentioned that there is nothing to “panic” while expressing his doubts over the third booster dose suggested by the government of the United Kingdom.
He clarified that the Delta variant is not in any way similar to measles, which could not spread in a community where 95 percent of the population has already been inoculated.
More points he highlighted are –
Professor Pollard’s views were supported by Paul Hunter who is also a professor at the University of East Anglia. Prof. Hunter is a very credible expert in infectious diseases. He was the same professor who first mentioned that the current vaccines are surely giving protection against severe COVID-19 infection and death but they cannot eliminate the possibility of infection entirely.
Describing herd immunity as “unachievable”, he said that that infection will keep spreading among the unvaccinated populations and also added that the latest data suggests that the two doses of the vaccines are only providing 50 percent of protection against infection.
Some experts believe that Professor Pollard’s doubts over the third dose are not relevant and the plan of UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid to administer the third booster shot along with a flu vaccine to those who are at a higher risk of getting infected is a smart choice. This has been proposed to be brought into action from September onwards.
Professor Pollard suggests that we may consider administering the third dose to vulnerable people if we see more hospitalisations or deaths among the vaccinated people.
While accepting that the level of immunity does drop after a certain period of time, he pointed out that our immune system still remembers the body getting vaccinated and this memory lasts for decades.
Hence, there is nothing to panic about at the moment. Raising another very important point, Professor Pollard said that these doses should be transported to those places of the world where people have not been vaccinated and where these can actually create a greater impact.
Fresh cases recorded on Monday – 32,937
Total deaths recorded on Monday – 417
No of doses administered – Over 55 crore
COVID hotspot in India – Karnataka, accounting for more than 50 percent of the total cases
Although we do not have the right resources as of yet to stop the spread of COVID-19, we surely do not need to panic and just have to adhere to the protocols established by your local authorities. We can only stop the spread and protect our loved ones if we abide by the rules. As suggested by the experts, the situation is going to get better with time.
Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.
Links and product recommendations in the information provided here are advertisements of third-party products available on the website. PharmEasy does not make any representation on the accuracy or suitability of such products/services. Advertisements do not influence the editorial decisions or content. The information in this blog is subject to change without notice. The authors and administrators reserve the right to modify, add, or remove content without notification. It is your responsibility to review this disclaimer regularly for any changes.
As the second wave of COVID-19 shook the roots of Indian healthcare machinery, some researchers used this disastrous time as an opportunity to prepare a self-testing kit for common people, which they can use to know if they are infected with SARS-CoV-2 or not within the safety and comfort of home in a very short time. The quick results given by CoviSelf will help you seek proper treatment at the earliest, thereby reducing the risk of developing severe illness due to delay in diagnosis and the initiation of treatment.
The self-testing kits, which can potentially release a huge burden off the healthcare system, have now also received a green signal from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
The self-test kit, approved by ICMR, has been developed by a Pune-based molecular company named MyLab Discovery Solutions. The name of the kit is CoviSelf.
It uses a rapid antigen test. In it, the patient just has to take the nasal swab sample, and it will give the result within 15 minutes. It only takes about 2 minutes to carry out the test.
This test kit costs only Rs 250. The manufacturing company currently has a production capacity of 70 lakh kits per week, and they are expecting to expand it to one crore kits per week in the next 14 days. The kit will not only be sold at the local medical stores but also at the e-pharmacies in India.
Aiming to fight against the upcoming waves of COVID-19 with more efficiency, MyLab has also prepared an AI-powered smartphone app to update users about their positive status. They can also submit their report directly to the ICMR for traceability purposes. The app will also tell them what to do next in case of either result.
ICMR recommends taking this test only if you have any symptoms of COVID-19 or have come in contact with a COVID positive patient. If found positive, the patient will not require an RT-PCR test for confirmation, and all the government-specified protocols will be followed for isolation and high-risk contact tracing.
If your result comes out positive, your report will be automatically submitted on the ICMR portal, as the test is in sync with MyLab’s mobile app CoviSelf. ICMR, however, recommends not to take this test in public places.
Moreover, if a person has tested negative but still has symptoms, he/she is recommended to take an RT-PCR test.
The self-test kit includes the following:
To begin, the user has to download the CoviSelf app on their smartphone and enter all their details. This data will be saved on a secured server that is directly connected with the ICMR portal, making your test reports available to the government.
All the self test kits are rapid antigen detection kits which have high false negative rates. The definitive diagnosis should always be made by RTPCR.
Dr. M.G. Kartheeka, MBBS, MD
Covid self tests would be helpful ideally 5 days after an exposure to covid virus. If you are negative for the first time you may repeat the test after 48 hours for a total of 3 times.
Dr. Ashish Bajaj, M.B.B.S., M.D.
You will get the result within 15 minutes of taking the test. In case the result is positive, two lines will appear on the testing card. One line will be on marker “t” for the testing line, and “c” for the quality control line. If the result is negative, there will be only one line at marker “c”.
If the result takes more than 20 minutes to appear or if you can not see any line on marker “c”, then the test is considered invalid.
Many states in India are currently struggling to get through the second wave of COVID-19, and all of them are preparing to combat the possible third wave, which is expected to affect kids the most.
The exponential spread of COVID-19 not only puts a lot of pressure on the hospitals and treatment centres but also creates a huge burden on diagnostic labs.
The RT-PCR test is considered to be the sure-shot way of diagnosing COVID-19, and with a huge number of cases coming daily, the laboratories were finding it difficult to deliver test results even in 3-4 days. This was causing a delay in the hospitalisation of the patients.
With the introduction of these self-test kits, the COVID-19 management in India can see a huge improvement. It will release a lot of pressure from the limited manpower that has been responsible for collecting the samples, executing the tests and delivering the result.
Using these kits, people can check their status within just 15 minutes, enabling them to get the required treatment in time.
The United States was the first country to approve the use of such self-test kits back in November 2020. California-based Lucira Health had produced this all-in-one rapid result test kit and was approved for emergency use in the US. Europe and South Korea have also approved similar kits already.
There are certain shortcomings of these self-test kits as well. The biggest of them all is reliability. There are chances of improper sample collection or contamination of swab sticks.
There are high chances of rapid antigen tests showing false-negative results. In that case, a COVID-positive asymptomatic person may turn out to be a super spreader of the virus without even being traced.
On one hand, where the self-test kits can help in easing the pressure on diagnostic labs and hospitals, on the other, over-dependence on this particular method can lead to an even worse situation. Hence, it should only be recommended and used by those who can carry out the guidelines perfectly and interpret the result accurately.
Disclaimer: The above information has been prepared by a qualified medical professional and may not represent the practices followed universally. The suggestions listed in this article constitute relatively common advice given to patients and since every patient is different, you are advised to consult your physician, if in doubt, before acting upon this information. Lupin Limited has only facilitated the distribution of this information to you in the interest of patient education and welfare.
Are you also one of those people who are worried over the shortage of COVID-19 vaccines forcing you to wait for the second dose? Are you also wondering if you may need to restart your vaccine schedule because it has already been months since your first dose?
Well, you do not need to panic yet as the studies and experts suggest that the booster (second) dose works just fine even if you take it after a gap of 4-5 months from the date of your first jab.
When you take the first dose of any COVID-19 vaccine, it triggers an immune response, which stays active even if you delay your booster dose. It, however, doesn’t work at the optimum level and that’s why you need the second dose.
The booster dose basically enhances and increases the immune response of the first dose-response.
Once the first dose of vaccine is taken, our body starts reacting and produces antibodies specific to the vaccine. The amount of time required by the body to produce an immune response may take time, but it triggers the memory cells of the immune system. When the second dose is given the immune response against the vaccine will be much faster and more effective than the first dose. Thus, a delay in the second dose will not harm and does not wear off.
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Amid the rising demand and insufficient supply of vaccines, the government has increased the duration between two Covishield doses from 4 to 12 weeks. The decision has been taken after analyzing the data from the international trials, in which the researchers observed the immune response of the vaccinated people from the first dose till the booster jab.
The experts also observed that in some cases where the second dose was administered as late as 12 weeks, the antibodies and immune response from the vaccine were equivalent and comparable.
Some experts believe that from an immunology perspective, researchers always specify a ‘minimum’ interval, not ‘maximum’ between the doses. They believe that any vaccine works better if the gap between the first and the booster dose is slightly longer in most cases.
In the case of Covaxin, the minimum gap of 4-6 weeks remains unchanged. In case the vaccine is not available, it can be delayed but has been mentioned for 28 days but everyone must get their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine even if it is delayed.
Some experts also recommend that people should not think about taking the first dose again if the booster jab has been delayed. Even in children’s vaccination, the norm is to pick up from where the one left off.
Moreover, even children are not recommended a repeat dose of the same vaccine even if they have a weaker immune response. Hence, it should not be done for the COVID vaccination too.
Another expert has claimed that the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, even if delayed, is effective in preventing the infection.
There have been cases where people contracted covid within a few days or weeks of getting their first dose of COVID vaccination. In case a person contracts the infection very close to getting their second COVID-19 dose, here’s what you should do. Remember that the infection helps the body build certain protective antibodies naturally, but we don’t know for sure how long these antibodies last and hence it is advisable to get the second dose of the vaccine after recovering.
You must postpone your vaccination by at least 6 weeks after a mild covid infection. Those with a severe form of illness should consider getting a go-ahead from the doctor first. Make sure you recover well but do not miss the vaccine dose as it will add to your immunity and serve additional purposes.
In the United Kingdom, the recommended gap between the two shots of Covishield is 12 weeks, while Canada has kept it to 16 weeks. A study by Public Health England has proved that the first jab of Covishield is 65 percent effective against symptomatic COVID-19 and 80% against a severe form of the disease.
Some experts even recommend that even if a person gets infected after getting the first dose of the vaccine and takes 6-10 weeks to recover, he/she must take the second jab after 3 months of being completely recovered from the illness.
First of all, you should not worry at all about the revision of the vaccination schedule. The decision has been taken after a thorough analysis of every aspect of the efficacy of the doses. Still, if you are unable to get the vaccine at a government-designated centre, you can always look for a private vaccination centre in your locality and get the vaccine.
The shortage of vaccines may have sparked a wave of fear among the people who have got their first shot of the vaccine, but there isn’t anything to worry about as of now. There would be no need to restart the vaccine schedule even if you have completed 12 weeks from your first dose. Everyone should just focus on getting their second dose as per the government-specified schedule.
Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.
Links and product recommendations in the information provided here are advertisements of third-party products available on the website. PharmEasy does not make any representation on the accuracy or suitability of such products/services. Advertisements do not influence the editorial decisions or content. The information in this blog is subject to change without notice. The authors and administrators reserve the right to modify, add, or remove content without notification. It is your responsibility to review this disclaimer regularly for any changes.
As India is grappling with the Coronavirus pandemic, people are running from pillar to post to arrange hospitals, ICU beds, life-saving medications, ventilators and most importantly ‘oxygen’, to save their loved ones.
Arranging these basic necessities is so tough today because the availability of all these things is way less than what the country requires to win this battle.
In these testing times, Oxygen Concentrators have turned out to be a ‘saviour’ for the people who are mildly affected with COVID-19 and are trying to recover in home isolation, owing to the shortage of hospital beds.
An oxygen concentrator is a medical device that is generally bigger than a computer monitor. It works by concentrating oxygen from the ambient air and aiding the patient in breathing easily.
In today’s polluted world, atmospheric air contains about 78 percent nitrogen and 21 percent oxygen. The last one percent consists of various other gases.
An oxygen concentrator sucks this atmospheric air, filters it through a sieve/filter and releases the nitrogen back into the atmosphere. The filtered oxygen is given to the patient through a cannula.
The studies have shown that these concentrators produce 90-95 percent pure oxygen. The World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2015 stated, ”Concentrators can operate and produce oxygen 24 hours a day continuously and may last up to five years.”
As the majority of the states in India are facing scarcity of oxygen right now, people should start taking the help of concentrators when their oxygen saturation level drops below 94 percent. Notably, oxygen saturation level between 94-100 percent is considered safe and healthy.
These concentrators are effective on patients whose saturation level doesn’t drop below 90 percent, but they can be of help even for those with oxygen saturation dropping as low as 85 percent. Patients, whose oxygen level drops below this point, will require a better flow of oxygen than these concentrators can offer.
The experts claim that oxygen concentrators are not as good as Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO), which are 99 percent pure and are a good option for mild to moderate COVID-19 patients, whose oxygen saturation level is at 90 percent or above.
The experts say that these are not appropriate for ICU patients.
Basically, there are two types of concentrators – Continuous flow and Pulse dose.
Continuous flow concentrators keep supplying the same flow of oxygen every minute if they are not turned off. The pulse dose concentrators are a little smarter and read the breathing pattern of the patient and release O2 on detecting inhalation. In the second type, the per-minute oxygen dispensation will vary.
These are the best alternatives of the cylinders and LMO, which are very tough to be transported and stored. Moreover, cylinders require to be refilled but concentrators can keep producing oxygen for up to five years or more, using just the ambient air and a power source.
The only drawback with the concentrators is that they can only supply 5-10 litres of oxygen per minute, while the critical patients may require 40-45 litres per minute.
The cost of these concentrators varies depending upon how much oxygen they produce per minute. Their cost may vary between Rs. 40,000 and Rs. 90,000 in different markets.
As per the experts, if a patient is given one-litre oxygen through a concentrator, the oxygen percentage in the lungs shoots up to 24 percent, while with two litres, it reaches 28 percent and with 10 litres, it rises up to 60 percent. The oxygen per minute has to be regulated as per the requirement.
The patient must consult a physician to know how many litres per minute of oxygen is needed and a pulse oximeter is also necessary to monitor the oxygen saturation.
The quality of oxygen produced depends upon the number of sieves/filters used in the concentrator and their quality is not measured by their weight but by litre per minute output. The ideal weight of these concentrators is less than 27 kgs.
If the concentrator gets heated while working, the quality of oxygen produced may deplete. Hence, it should be used only when required.
The coronavirus pandemic has given a huge boost to the oxygen concentrator sales in India, as their demand has shot up shockingly. Earlier, where the demand was 40,000 concentrators annually, now it has gone up to 30,000-40,000 a month.
Well, oxygen concentrators have been an essential part of every home in China where there are people over 65 years of age. With COVID-19 infecting an increasing number of people on a daily basis, these concentrators can really help the Indian healthcare system.
Grab a concentrator and book a test for advanced health checkup.
Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.
Links and product recommendations in the information provided here are advertisements of third-party products available on the website. PharmEasy does not make any representation on the accuracy or suitability of such products/services. Advertisements do not influence the editorial decisions or content. The information in this blog is subject to change without notice. The authors and administrators reserve the right to modify, add, or remove content without notification. It is your responsibility to review this disclaimer regularly for any changes.
The new COVID-19 strain has derailed the Indian healthcare infrastructure in no time, and our country, which was donating vaccines to the neighbouring nations a few weeks ago, is facing a shortage of the life-saving shots and almost every other facility required to fight this pandemic.
In a huge relief to the people, the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has approved the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use in India. This is the third vaccine India has approved to use against the deadly virus. The earlier two are – Covishield and Covaxin. The former has been developed by the Oxford University-AstraZeneca and Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) is manufacturing it, while the latter has been developed and manufactured by Bharat Biotech and the National Institute of Virology (NIV).
Indian pharmaceutical company Dr Reddy’s Laboratories has joined hands with the Russian sovereign fund Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) for carrying out the bridge clinical trials of the vaccine in India, which is the 60th country to approve its use.
The RDIF has confirmed that vaccine distribution will begin by the end of April or in the first week of May.
The Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, backed by the Russian state, has developed the vaccine. The registration of the vaccine in Russia was done in August 2020 as Gam-COVID-Vac, and the “V” in the name of the vaccine stands for alphabet V. The developer has informed that the vaccine can be stored at 2-8 degree celsius.
Dr Reddy’s Laboratories has got the contract of distributing up to 250 million doses in India, by importing them. RDIF has also signed a manufacturing contract with Stelis Biopharma, Gland Pharma, Virchow Biotech, Panacea Biotec and Hetero Biopharma to manufacture more than 850 million Sputnik V doses in India. The doses produced in India will be exported across the world.
The production of the vaccine is soon to start at Hetero Biopharma and Panacea Biotec, while the other pharma companies will begin production in September 2021.
Sputnik V is an adenovirus viral vector vaccine, which carries viruses especially made containing the coronavirus genes. Some of these types of vaccines make their way into the cells and cause them to produce viral proteins. The others just gradually replicate, travelling through the body with virus proteins on their surface.
People have to get two doses of Sputnik V, similar to Covishield and Covaxin. Both the doses have to be administered at least 21 days apart. These are inoculated through injection into the muscle.
The Russian vaccine has shown excellent results with an efficacy rate of 91.5 percent. This rate is the highest after Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccines. Before giving it the green signal, a bridging trial was conducted in India.
Another positive news is that only 0.1 percent of the vaccine receivers have complained about the side effects.
In the international market, the Russian vaccine costs around Rs. 750 per dose, but its price in India is still to be decided, as the government is trying to negotiate the pricing with the manufacturer.
The vaccine approval for emergency use in India is very crucial as the second wave of the pandemic has already put India on the back foot in the war against the virus. Many states in the country have been reporting a shortage of vaccines, even when India is all set to expand the vaccination drive.
Russia became the first country to start inoculating its citizens with Sputnik V. It is currently being administered in many countries including Pakistan, Egypt, Argentina, Vietnam, Morocco, Bahrain, Jordan, Panama, Mauritius, Hungary, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, the Philippines and Sri Lanka.
With the quickly rising number of cases of COVID-19 in India, approval to Sputnik V for emergency use can come as a boon for the countrymen. We should hope that the first lot of vaccines land in India soon so that the vaccination drive can come back on the right track.
Know your current health status.
Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.
Links and product recommendations in the information provided here are advertisements of third-party products available on the website. PharmEasy does not make any representation on the accuracy or suitability of such products/services. Advertisements do not influence the editorial decisions or content. The information in this blog is subject to change without notice. The authors and administrators reserve the right to modify, add, or remove content without notification. It is your responsibility to review this disclaimer regularly for any changes.
Right when India was starting to smell victory against the deadly COVID-19 disease, the virus has struck back with a new strain, which in a way has derailed the ambitious vaccination drive of the Indian government.
The virus has restarted spreading its wings across India The World Health Organisation (WHO) has already confirmed that the new strain of the coronavirus is even more contagious than the previous one and at the same time, people in India have started to take it less seriously.
To investigate and figure out ways to stop the second wave of COVID-19, the central government formed a panel, which in its report, said, ”The main reason behind the second wave is the superspreader events like weddings, elections and social gatherings and people being unwilling to keep following the social distancing norms.
Niti Ayog member (Health) Dr VK Paul has suggested not to show any laxity in our fight against COVID-19, as breaking the chain of transmission should be our utmost priority at the moment. He also emphasized that vaccines are a major tool in our mission but we can not afford to give up on the containment and surveillance methods that we have been following for so long.
In the last 24 hours ending at 8 AM Monday, India recorded the highest ever 1,03,558 new COVID-19 cases. These cases have taken India’s total to 1,25,89,067, out of which 9.07 lakh are currently active, while 1.17 crore has recovered successfully. In the last 24 hours, a total of 478 deaths have been reported, taking the toll up to 1.65 lakh.
Maharashtra is the worst affected state right now with over 3.36 lakh active cases. The state recorded 31,643 cases on Monday itself. To curb the resurgence of the virus, the state is likely to release new work norms by April 1. The decision on a full lockdown will be taken in a meeting headed by the Chief Minister of the state.
In a strange occurrence, eight states of the country accounted for 84.5 per cent of the total 68,020 fresh cases recorded on Monday. Delhi also recorded more than 1,900 cases on Monday, breaking its past three-month record.
India’s indigenous vaccines – Covaxin and Covishield – have been performing well, but looking at the huge population of our country, it is impossible to immunize everyone in a short period. Till now, India has managed to vaccinate only six crore people, which is just 4.43 per cent of the 135.5 crore population of the country.
More shockingly, only 0.5 per cent of people in India had received both doses of vaccines by March 18, 2021. If Indian authorities maintain the same pace of vaccination, they would be able to vaccinate 70% of the population in the next 10.8 years.
Hence, it becomes essential for the people of the country to maintain the social distancing norms specified by the authorities, so that the government doesn’t have to use their time, manpower and focus on stopping the spread of the virus, instead of speeding up the inoculation drive.
Any government cannot succeed against the deadly virus if the people of the country do not contribute their bit to the mission. Hence, getting vaccinated timely should be our top priority and until we are not inoculated, we must follow the social distancing norms.
To stop the resurgence of COVID-19 in India, people must ensure that they are following all the protocols set by their local authorities, and also step forward to get themselves immunized against the disease. We must stop the spread of misinformation and myths related to the disease and vaccines. Moreover, people should also ignore attending social gatherings to stay safe.
Know your current health status!
Disclaimer: The information included at this site is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional. Because of unique individual needs, the reader should consult their physician to determine the appropriateness of the information for the reader’s situation.
Amid the advancement of COVID-19 vaccination drives across the globe, the confusion and rumours around the efficacy of the vaccines are still rising. People are trying to find answers to their questions like – ”When do they become immune to the virus?”, ”How long does the immunity last?” and many more.
Well, these confusions exist because people tend to believe every rumour they come across, while the World Health Organisation (WHO) has appealed multiple times to only trust the authentic sources about the information related to Coronavirus.
One of the most prevalent confusions around the Coronavirus vaccines these days is how long should a person wait to get the vaccine after getting infected.
Some of the researchers have recently claimed that a person can take the COVID-19 vaccine right after recovering from the disease but only if they do not have any symptoms. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), however, suggests waiting for 90 days from the day you test positive for COVID-19 disease if you haven’t received any shot yet.
The CDC also suggests, people who got infected after receiving their first shot may take the second dose on their scheduled date, but only if their quarantine period is over and they do not have any symptoms.
The CDC has also clarified that if you have had COVID-19 and now you have recovered, you must be having some natural protection against the virus, but it is still unclear how long that immunity is going to last.
COVID-19 vaccination helps protect you by creating an antibody response without you having to experience potentially severe illness or post-COVID conditions. Vaccination can be taken safely post 90 days of successful recovery from COVID.
Dr. M.G. Kartheeka, MBBS, MD
The CDC has suggested not to take the vaccine for at least 90 days if you have undergone an antibody therapy for COVID-19.
Currently, India has vaccinated over 62.5 lakh healthcare workers and frontline workers. The authorities have confirmed that about 3.3 lakh people are being inoculated on a daily basis.
The authorities, however, have cautioned COVID-infected people not to get the vaccine if they have any symptoms of the disease. Moreover, long-haulers, people who have recovered from COVID-19 but still have some symptoms, should consult their physician before taking the shot.
There are plenty of myths that are discouraging people from showing up at the vaccination centres, causing a huge blow to India’s fight against the Coronavirus. Here we have listed a few myths which CDC has described as completely baseless:
Many people around the country believe that those who are taking the vaccine shots are suffering from serious side effects. They agree that the people may suffer from some mild side effects, which are listed below:
More serious side-effects include:
With the kind of results India’s indigenous vaccines are fetching, people have started showing more interest in taking the shot for COVID-19. We, however, have to work together to stop the spread of misconceptions to eventually defeat the disease which had literally confined the world to their houses.
Let’s pledge not to forward any information related to the disease without cross-checking it with the official sources, like the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, WHO, CDC, etc.
Know your current health status.
Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.
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2020, the most challenging year for the world in living memory, is drawing to a close. India too witnessed a massive healthcare crisis and a financial downturn. But the good news is that the pandemic is slowing down in India. Most experts and doctors feel that we have reached our peak in September, and now COVID cases will slowly decline. Besides, it is only a matter of months before we have a COVID vaccine!
So, why has the Union Health Ministry issued a fresh set of guidelines that are coming into effect and will stay in force until 31st December? For starters, not all states have been able to flatten the curve, and COVID is showing no signs of slowing down. Secondly, even those states that have been able to more or less contain the spread of COVID, need to continue to be cautious, else there could be another break-out.
So what are the new guidelines all about?
The Centre Government has asked states to impose night curfews whenever and wherever needed. It is up to the state authorities to analyse the condition and see if restrictive measures are necessary. States can also declare containment zones. But they will NOT impose lockdown outside of the containment zones.
States will be able to reduce work hours, implement WFH or similar measures in those cities where COVID positivity rate is more than 10. By reducing the number of employees coming to the office all at once, the spread of COVID can be contained.
States will have full power to take action against any individual who refuses to follow the COVID protocol, such as not wearing masks or maintaining social distancing.
The Centre has assured the states that there will be no prohibition of the movement of both people and goods from one state to another. Cross border trade will continue with neighbouring countries.
This mantra will continue to be the state’s focus in curbing the spread of COVID. Surveillance teams will be posted in containment zones. Their job is to ensure that COVID patients are isolated and receiving the treatment they need. Police will be patrolling the zones and along with municipal authorities will make sure that all containment measures are being implemented. People will not be allowed into or out of containment zones except for emergencies.
The Union Government has also released Standard Operating Procedures, also called SOPs for how to behave in crowded places. Crowded Indian market places continue to be high-risk transmission spots, and utter caution is called for to combat the spread of COVID.
The Centre has requested the states to stress the importance of online shopping of groceries, medicines, and other essentials. It has also asked State authorities to consider giving discounts or incentives for non-peak-hour shopping.
In containment zones, markets and shops will remain closed. People who are currently living in a containment zone but have shops outside of the containment zone will not be allowed to open their stores. No such restriction is required for shops and stores operating in non-containment zones.
Instead of government or municipal authorities directly intervening in the COVID SOPs of a market, the market should form its own subcommittee that will be responsible for the implementation of COVID protocol. The state government should make arrangements for mass thermal screening, handwashing stations, public washrooms, contact-less soap dispensers in all large markets in the state.
The wait for the end of COVID is near. But we cannot afford to be careless now. Let us cooperate fully with our governments and follow all the instructions to keep everyone safe.
