CHENNAI: Even as the Central government gets ready to roll out Covid-19 vaccines across the country on Saturday, medical and nursing staff, who will first be inoculated, are divided on whether or not to get the vaccine. Although some are ready to get the shot, a few others say they won't.
Both vaccine options have evoked fears over safety. While healthcare workers raised concerns about Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin as phase 3 trials are still ongoing, it is reports of side-effects in trial participants caused by Covishield, co-developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca with the Serum Institute of India, that has caused hesitation.
"I have registered myself on the Union Health Ministry's CoWIN portal and I will be among the first to get the shot, once it is rolled out. I even prepared to take Covaxin. Its phase three trial is only to test its efficacy. Phase two trials to test safety are over and the results are good. There are no major side effects. In fact, every modern medicine will have some side effects, so there is no fear in getting Covaxin," said Dr JA Jayalal, national president of the Indian Medical Association.
However, not all healthcare workers hold the same view.
A doctor, who worked in the Covid-19 ICU of a private hospital in Chennai for seven months, said that he would not get himself inoculated. "This is because I didn't get infected even though I was on Covid duty for so long. Perhaps I might have developed immunity. Also I am not in a high-risk group as I don't have any comorbidities. I won't get vaccinated," he said.
"Also, I am worried that the vaccines are still under trial. Why take the risk?" he added.
A nurse at a Government Medical College Hospital in the city said that although the hospital would have registered her name in the CoWIN portal she will refuse to take the shot. "I tested positive for Covid in September, and since then I have become very weak physically. I don't feel active at all. I don't want to take the vaccine as it might cause some side effects. I will refuse to take it when they ask me," she said.
Another government doctor said that he might take the vaccine but would not recommend it to his close contacts as trials are still underway. "Also, the risk-benefit ratio and known adverse effects of the vaccine are not yet established," the doctor said.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, Dr Satyajit Mahopatra, professor at SRM Medical College, said it is up to the people to get vaccinated or not. “But if everyone gets vaccinated then herd immunity will be developed. The government has given emergency-use authorisation for both vaccines only after analysing the data. There are experts, and scientists in the government who have validated the data on safety and efficacy. The government is planning to roll out the vaccine for a good cause. So, I don't think people should be scared of them," he said.
Nonetheless, the Tamil Nadu Government Doctors' Association (TNGDA) has sought expert opinion on which vaccine to choose -- Covaxin or Covishield -- after many government doctors raised concerns about safety and efficacy.
"We have sought the opinions of experts in India and abroad on both vaccines after many doctors raised concerns and became anxious. We have asked them which vaccine is better to take in terms of safety and efficacy. We will get the responses by Thursday, communicate them to the members and decide accordingly," Dr K Senthil, president, TNGDA said.
It may be noted that while Tamil Nadu government plans to vaccinate around six lakh healthcare workers in the first phase, only about four lakh beneficiaries had registered in the CoWIN portal, till Sunday. Meanwhile, the Union Health Ministry has said that the registration of healthcare workers on CoWIN software will be frozen at January 12 midnight.
IMA to partner with government
Meanwhile, the IMA, in a press release, said that it has requested its 3.5 lakh members in over 1,800 local branches to voluntarily come forward and get vaccinated first, to show that these vaccines are safe and efficacious. "After extensive review of scientific data, indexed articles, expert panel reports and in discussion with IMA, ICMR and WHO experts, the IMA has decided to actively take part in the Covid vaccination programme," said the release.
IMA believes that being vaccinated is not only to protect individuals but also to bring about herd immunity thereby raising the hope of controlling the pandemic, the release added. It added that it would stand with scientists to endorse the safety and efficacy of both Covaxin and Covishield.