Covaxin or Covishield? If you are confused in your mind then this is the answer of the experts
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Two Corona vaccines are being administered in India. One of them is Covishield of Serum Institute of India and the other is Covaxin of Bharat Biotech.
India started its Covid vaccination program in January. More than 25 million people have been vaccinated in the country so far and crores of doses have been sent to other countries. Two vaccines were approved based on the results of the trial. Experts expressed their opinion on Covishield (Oxford-AstraZeneca Developed) of Serum Institute of India (SII) and Covaxin of Bharat Biotech. The medical journal ‘Lancet’ has reviewed both vaccines. Both vaccines are safe and are more effective than the World Health Organization (WHO) set standards. Let us understand what is the difference between Covishield and Covaxin and which is better.
How do both vaccines work?
Covaxin is an inactivated vaccine that is made from a dead coronavirus. For this, Bharat Biotech used a sample of coronavirus isolated at the National Institute of Virology, Pune. When this vaccine is applied, the immune cells recognize the dead virus and form antibodies against it. Two doses of the vaccine are given at intervals of four weeks and can be stored between 2 ° C to 8 ° C.
Covishield has been developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca together. It is being developed by the Serum Institute of India in India. This vaccine is made from a weak form of the common cold-cough virus. It has been modified to look like a coronavirus but it does not cause disease. When vaccinated, it prepares the immune system to fight a coronavirus infection. This vaccine takes two doses at intervals of four and 12 weeks. It can also be stored between 2 degrees to 8 degrees.
How effective are these two vaccines?
Bharat Biotech released the results of the Phase 3 trial on 3 March. It was claimed that Covaxin showed 81% clinical efficiency. This vaccine was found to be safe during the trial and serious side effects were not seen in any volunteer.
In the international trial of Oxford-AstraZeneca, the vaccine was found to be up to 90% effective. This effectiveness was found when people were given half dose first and then full dose. According to SII, the vaccine does not cause any unacceptable side effects.
Which of the two vaccines is better?
Lancet has stated that Covaxin uses two types of boosters, so it may prove to be better than the rest of the activated (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. Two Chinese companies have made vaccines in the same way but they have only one booster. However, it cannot be compared to Covishield as both are built on different bases. Which of the two vaccines is better, it will be known only after a long research on the immune response.
Can the first dose be of Covaxin and the second of Covishield?
It should not happen by mistake also. The two vaccines are different and their effect on the body’s immune response is also different. Therefore, during vaccination, you should take full doses of the same vaccine. If both doses are of different vaccines then it can have a very bad effect on the body, apart from this, protection from Covid will also not be found. During vaccination in India, it is being ensured that the first and second vaccines are of the same company. For this, the Cowin platform has been prepared, which keeps the
