Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 vaccines

Question: Should people who have recovered from COVID 19 take the vaccine?
Answer: Those who have recovered from COVID 19 should take the vaccine to boost their immunity and increase their protection from a recurrence of the infection.

Question: If a person is suffering from COVID 19 (confirmed or suspected) should he/she be vaccinated?
Answer: Those who have symptoms of COVID 19 or are suspected of being infected should delay their vaccination for a period of 14 days after the symptoms disappear. This is to prevent them from spreading the virus to others at the vaccination site.

Question: Out of the multiple vaccines available, which is the best one?
Answer: All the approved and licenced COVID 19 vaccines have undergone thorough testing and evaluation and the regulatory agencies have been satisfied with their efficacy before approving them for use. As such, all the vaccines are comparable in terms of safety and efficacy. However, that does not mean that the vaccines are interchangeable. Vaccination involves more than one dose of the vaccine and all doses should be of the same vaccine.

Question: How many doses of the vaccine need to be taken and at what intervals?
Answer: Two doses of the vaccine are to be administered to complete the vaccination schedule. These are given with an interval of 28 days.

Question: How soon after vaccination will antibodies develop in the body?
Answer: Protective levels of the antibodies typically develop 2 weeks after receiving the second dose of the vaccine.

Question: The vaccines have to be transported and stored at very low temperatures. Does India have this capability?
Answer: India has one of the largest immunization programs in the world. It vaccinates more than 26 million newly born children and 19 million pregnant women every year. The system is being upgraded to meet the current demand. The country’s medical infrastructure is capable of transporting and storing the vaccines at the required temperatures.

Question: Are the vaccines being used in India as effective as those being used in other countries?
Answer: The vaccines being used in India have gone through rigorous testing and trials and have been proven to be as effective and vaccines being used in other countries. There is no cause for concern in this regard.

Question: Am I eligible for vaccination and if so, when will I get it?
Answer: If you are eligible for vaccination, you will be informed, at the appropriate time, on your mobile phone number. Details of where and when you need to go for the vaccination will be given to you.

Question: How can I register for the vaccination?
Answer: The central and state Governments are formulating the guidelines and procedures for registration. An App called COWIN is being developed and will be available for download shortly. The guidelines and procedures will be informed to the public as soon as they are finalized. Healthcare and frontline workers are not required to register.

Question: What documents are required to be produced for vaccination registration?
Answer: Any of the following photo identification documents may be produced for the purpose of vaccination registration:
● Aadhar card / Driving License / Pan Card / Passport / Voter ID Card / Pension Document / Job Card
● Health Insurance Smart card issued by the Ministry of Labour
● Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) identity documents
● Passbooks issued by banks or post offices
● Official identity cards issued to MPs / MLAs / MLCs
● Service identity cards issued by Central or State Governments and public limited companies.

Question: How will people be informed about the date, time, and place where they have to report for vaccination?
Answer: Once the registration process has been completed, a message will be sent to the individual’s mobile phone number with details of the date, time, and place where the vaccination will be done.

Question: Will vaccines be available without registration?
Answer: Vaccines are not available without registration. The date, time, and place for the vaccination will only be given to those who have registered.

Question: If a person cannot produce a photo ID at the time of vaccination, will he/she be vaccinated?
Answer: Production of a photo ID at the time of vaccination is mandatory. This is to ensure that only the intended people are vaccinated.

Question: Will confirmation of vaccination be issued to those who have been vaccinated?
Answer: After each vaccination, the individual will receive a confirmation message on his/her mobile phone. Once the vaccination schedule has been completed, a certificate of completion of vaccination will be sent to the mobile phone number.

Question: What precautions have to be taken at the time of vaccination?
Answer: After the vaccination, you will be required to rest at the vaccination center for at least 30 minutes to ensure that any possible reaction to the vaccination can be quickly treated.

Question: What precautions need to be taken after the vaccination?
Answer: If there is any discomfort or uneasiness after leaving the vaccination center, inform the nearest health center, ANM/ ASHA. Additionally, continue to follow safety procedures like wearing masks, social distancing, etc. until advised that these are not required.

Question: Will there be side effects from the vaccination?
Answer: The COVID 19 vaccines being used in India have been tested and are safe. However, as with any vaccine, there is a possibility of common side effects like pain at the injection site, mild fever, etc. State Governments are making arrangements to deal with any possible vaccine-related side effects.

Question: Should people on medication for illnesses like diabetes, cancer, hypertension, etc. be vaccinated?
Answer: Yes. People with other health issues (co-morbidities) are in the high-risk category and must be vaccinated.

Question: Will the families of healthcare and frontline workers be given the vaccine?
Answer: To ensure proper distribution, vaccinations will be given to those in designated priority groups. Once those phases are completed, the vaccines will be available to all others.

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Kauvery Hospital is globally known for its multidisciplinary services at all its Centers of Excellence, and for its comprehensive, Avant-Grade technology, especially in diagnostics and remedial care in heart diseases, transplantation, vascular and neurosciences medicine. Located in the heart of Trichy (Tennur, Royal Road and Alexandria Road (Cantonment), Chennai, Hosur, Salem, Tirunelveli and Bengaluru, the hospital also renders adult and pediatric trauma care.

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