Over 400 people show adverse effects to vaccine
Most of the adverse events are minor cases such as fever, headache and nausea, says health ministry
Over 400 health care workers have shown adverse effects to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccine out of the 224,301 who have been inoculated with the doses so far, the health ministry said on Sunday, a day after India kicked off the colossal immunisation programme for doctors, paramedics and hospital workers.
As many as 447 adverse events following immunisation (AEFI) have been reported so far, of which only three cases required hospitalisation, the ministry’s additional secretary, Manohar Agnani, said. AEFI is any untoward medical occurrence following immunisation and might not have any relation with the vaccination process.
Most of the adverse events reported so far are minor cases such as fever, headache and nausea, he said.
Agnani said a total of 224,301 beneficiaries have been vaccinated till January 17 as per provisional reports, adding that 207,229 of them received the jabs on day one of the drive. “Today being Sunday, only six states conducted vaccination drive and in 553 sessions a total of 17,072 beneficiaries were vaccinated,” he said.
The six states where the vaccination drive was carried out on Sunday are Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Manipur and Tamil Nadu, he added.
In Kolkata, the health condition of a 35- year-old nurse, who fell ill here following the administration of Covid-19 vaccine on Saturday, was said to be stable, and a medical board of experts has been formed to find out why she fainted after taking the shot, a senior official said. She was among 14 health care workers in West Bengal to report an adverse reaction, and the only one who was a serious case.
“Experts are examining her condition. We have found out that the woman suffers from chronic asthma and is hypersensitive to a number of drugs,” the health department official, who is also a prominent doctor, said. The nurse was on Saturday admitted to the critical care unit (CCU) of Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital in the city as she complained of uneasiness and fainted shortly after taking the shot.
“Around 13 vaccine recipients showed minor side effects like increased blood pressure and feverish feeling. They were discharged after preliminary treatment,” the official said.
Delhi reported 51 minor reactions such as rashes, swelling at the site of injection, or fever on day one of the Covid-19 vaccination drive. One other person, a 22-year-old security guard at the AIIMS, who was admitted to the ICU for severe allergic reaction, was the only severe reaction reported in the Capital.