Covid-19 vaccination: PM Modi allays fears over safety of Covishield, Covaxin; says people are proud of them

Covid 19 vaccines in India: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today sought to allay apprehensions over the safety and efficacy of Covaxin and Covishield Covid-19 vaccines in India. PM Modi said that the safety and efficacy of Covid vaccines are looked after by scientists and the people of India have belief in experts. “Made-In-India Covid vaccines have made us proud. All the credit goes to scientists, healthcare workers,” PM Modi said while interacting with beneficiaries and vaccinators of the Covid vaccination drive in Varanasi.

PM Modi has exhorted all doctors and heathcare workers across India to expedite the process of vaccinating 3 crore frontline workers and essential workers so that vaccination for the immunocompromised population of 27 crore can commence.

“The biggest vaccination program in the world is going on in our country. Today, the nation has the willpower to manufacture its own vaccine – not one, but two ‘Made in India’ vaccines. Vaccines are reaching every corner of the country. India is absolutely self-reliant in this regard,” PM Modi said.

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has asked people not to listen to hearsay as COVID vaccine is safe and immunogenic. “Make sure you take your’s on your turn,” the Union Ministry of Health said.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has cited that the findings published in the peer review journal Lancet show the safety and immunogenicity of the vaccine as seen in a double-blind, randomized phase 1 trial. “BBV152 (Covaxin) led to tolerable safety outcomes and enhanced immune responses. Both Algel-IMDG formulations were selected for phase 2 immunogenicity trials. Further efficacy trials are warranted,” Lancet report says.

India has crossed a significant landmark as around 10.5 lakh beneficiaries, mostly frontline workers, have been administered with Covid-19 vaccines till January 22. In the last 24 hours, 2,37,050 people were vaccinated across 4,049 sessions. So far, 10,43,534 people were vaccinated during 18,167 sessions so far.

Among the states and Union Territories, Karnataka has vaccinated 1,38,807 beneficiaries, Odisha has vaccinated 1,13,623 people, Andhra Pradesh has vaccinated 1,15,365 people against Covid-19, Telanagana has vaccinated 97,087 people, Bihar has vaccinated 63,541 people, West Bengal has vaccinated 53,988 people, and Maharashtra has vaccinated 52,393 people against Coronavirus.