Bharat Biotech Asks People With Fever, Pregnant And Breastfeeding Women To Avoid Its COVID-19 Vaccine Covaxin

Hyderabad: Bharat Biotech’s fact sheet on COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin, has advised pregnant or breastfeeding women, besides people with high fever or bleeding disorders, not to take the antidote. The vaccine maker in the fact sheet on Covaxin, posted in its website, said the clinical efficacy of the vaccine is yet to be established and is being studied in Phase 3 clinical trial and hence it is important to appreciate that receiving the vaccine does not mean other precautions related to COVID-19 need not be followed. “You should not get Bharat Biotech’s COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin if you have any history of allergies. Have a high fever. Have a bleeding disorder or are a blood thinner. Immune compromised or are medicine that affects your immune system. Are pregnant. Are breastfeeding. Have received another COVID-19 vaccine. Any other serious health-related issues, as determined by the vaccinator/Officer supervising vaccination,” the fact sheet said.

Also Read: “Feel Great After Taking My Jab”: India’s Top Cardiac Surgeon Shares His Experience On Getting The COVID-19 Vaccine

The fact sheet also asked people to inform the vaccinator or a supervising official about their medical condition before taking the vaccine. Bharat Biotech said in an ongoing clinical trial Covaxin has been shown to generate immunity following two doses given four weeks apart.

Covaxin is a vaccine with approval for restricted use in emergency situations that may prevent COVID-19. The Central Licensing Authority has granted permission for the sale or distribution of the antidote for restricted use in emergency situations in the public interest as an abundant precaution, in clinical trial mode, the fact sheet said.

Covaxin is a highly purified and inactivated two-dose SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, manufactured in a Vero cell manufacturing platform with an excellent safety track record of more than 300 million doses, the company had said. Covaxin is India’s totally indigenous COVID-19 vaccine developed in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research and National Institute of Virology. The inactivated vaccine is developed and manufactured in Bharat Biotech’s BSL-3 (Bio-Safety Level 3) biocontainment facility, one of its kind in the world.

Also Read: COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout: What Were The Learnings From Day 1 and 2 Of Vaccination Drive, An Expert Explains

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

NDTV – Dettol Banega Swasth India campaign is an extension of the five-year-old Banega Swachh India initiative helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. It aims to spread awareness about critical health issues facing the country. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign highlights the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children to prevent maternal and child mortality, fight malnutrition, stunting, wasting, anaemia and disease prevention through vaccines. Importance of programmes like Public Distribution System (PDS), Mid-day Meal Scheme, POSHAN Abhiyan and the role of Aganwadis and ASHA workers are also covered. Only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and become a Swasth or healthy India. The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene.