Karnataka Association of Resident Doctors' president raises concern over Covaxin

The president of the Karnataka Association of Resident Doctors, Dr Dayanand Sagar on Tuesday raised concern over the COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin.

In a video message, he said, "Central government has approved COVID-19 vaccine Covishield, and Covaxin. Covishield has at least got an interim analysis report. However, Covaxin is still in the phase-III trials, where the trial is being done on healthcare workers. We strongly condemn this. Health workers should be given a choice of the vaccine. We demand that govt should provide a vaccine which has interim analysis."

On January 3, India gave emergency use authorisation to two COVID-19 vaccines - Covishield and Covaxin - both being manufactured in the country.

While Covishield has been developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University, Covaxin is an indigenous vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

Out of 3.81 lakh health care workers who received COVID-19 vaccine in the three days (from January 16 to January 18), 580 beneficiaries reported adverse event following immunisation (AEFI) and seven of them required hospitalisation, Union Health Ministry said on Monday.

"So far, cumulative 580 AEFIs have been reported. A total of 7 beneficiaries required hospitalisation. Three cases of an adverse event are reported in Delhi. Where two beneficiaries were discharged from their respective hospitals, the third beneficiary who fainted is under observation at Max Hospital, Patparganj," Additional Secretary in Health Ministry Manohar Agn said at a media briefing on Monday.

( With inputs from ANI )