Taking Covid-19 vaccine mandatory in India? Here's what Health Ministry says
India has approved two vaccines against coronavirus for emergency use. The vaccines are -- AstraZeneca-Oxford (Covishield) and Bharat Biotech (Covaxin). Covishield and Covaxin have to be administered in two doses and can be stored at 2-8 degree Celsius. The Drugs Controller General of India has also granted permission to Cadila healthcare for phase 3 clinical trial in India.
However, there are several questions that people want to know before getting inoculated. The Ministry of Health has listed a series of frequently asked questions (FAQs) on vaccine, responding to questions like of taking a vaccine is mandatory, number of dosages and how long it will take to develop antibodies.
According to the Union Health Ministry, getting vaccinated for COVID-19 will be voluntary in the country. "However, it is advisable to receive the complete schedule of COVID-19 vaccine for protecting oneself and limiting the spread of disease," the ministry said.
It also stated that it is advisable to receive a complete schedule of vaccine irrespective of past history of infection with COVID-19 as this will help in developing a strong immune response against the disease.
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It also said that protective level of antibodies generally develop two weeks after receiving the second dose.
The government has made registration mandatory for taking vaccine. The government has announced a dedicated app -- Co-Win app for real-time monitoring of vaccine. Once the registration is success, the concerned person will receive an SMS.
This is a major relief for India which has the second highest number of infections in the world after the US. The Central government plans to vaccinate nearly 30 crore people in the first phase of drive in the next six to eight months.
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