January 16th, 2021

FOR DOCTORS: KNOW YOR VACCINE



Dr. Trupti Gilada



Infectious Diseases Physician, Mumbai



UNISON MEDICARE and RESEARCH CENTRE



MASINA HOSPITAL and PRINCE ALY KHAN HOSPITAL



trupti_gilada@yahoo.com



As the vaccination drive begins today, I do understand that many of us have several



questions on the Covishield vaccine. Here I would like to address some of them for my



colleagues.

What is the data on efficacy:

The Covishield vaccine based on the Oxford-Astra Zeneca vaccine has results from the

international phase 3 trial with over 23000 participants. The efficacy was between 62-

90%. Most importantly, what was observed was that none of the vaccine recipients

had severe Covid or any hospitalizations. So the vaccine is very efficacious in terms of

prevention from Covid morbidity and mortality.

What are the adverse effects?

In terms of side effects, this is an Chimpanzee Adeno vector vaccine used as an agent

to deliver spike proteins to the host cell. The reason human Adeno virus is not used is

because someone who has antibodies to the human adeno virus will destroy the

incoming vaccine making it thus ineffective.

Since this is a viral vector vaccine, some adverse effects like arm pain, fatigue,

headache, fever chills, joint pains should be expected and are not abnormal. In fact

this means your immune system is working. It is possible that this is the reason why

younger recipients will face more of these adverse effects than older ones. Be

prepared but not scared.

In contrast to a lot of social media forwards, the vaccine DOES NOT CAUSE

Any tampering with your genetic material

Infertility

Severe neurological adverse effects

COVID!!

1. 2. 3. 4.

a. b.

Who should NOT take the vaccine until more data is available?

Children under 18 years of age

Pregnant women

(The UK based Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation recommended

that breast feeding mothers may be offered the vaccine – no risk since these are

non-live vaccines)

Dr. Trupti Gilada

trupti_gilada@yahoo.com



 

c.

The vaccine can be taken by all other groups.

d. e. f. g. h. i. j. k.

1. 2. 3. 4.

Only those with severe allergic reactions to the components of the vaccine. The



Covishield contains- Sucrose, acidity regulators such as l-histidine sodium and



potassium salts, polysorbate 80, EDTA, some alcohol.



COMMON ALLERGIES TO FOOD, DRUGS, ASTHMA ETC ARE NOT

 

CONTRAINDICATIONS TO VACCINES.

The aim of the vaccination program is to protect those who are most likely to get

infected and/or become seriously ill with Covid-19. Therefore, at risk individuals like

elderly in addition to the below should take the vaccine-

Chronic respiratory disease (including severe asthma)

Chronic heart disease

Chronic kidney disease

Chronic liver disease

Chronic neurological disease

Diabetes

Immunosuppression

Severe mental illnesses

Precautions to be taken after vaccine:

MASKING, SOCIAL DISTANCING AND HYGIENE PRECAUTIONS to CONTINUE AS

BEFORE. The reasons being:

It takes a while for your immunity to make the antibodies. You do not want to fall

ill in the interim.

It is impossible to predict the strength of immunogenicity you will have to the

vaccine.

Only time will tell which future viral strains can the vaccine actually prevent

against.

Most importantly, these vaccines are proven to prevent symptoms of the

disease in the recipients. What still remains unclear is whether it also prevents

transmission of the virus. This is because these are injectable vaccines that

incite IgG antibody and cellular immune response. What is needed to stop

transmission is an IgA response in the nasopharyngeal mucosa. IgA immune

response continues to be unproven (IgA responses are often incited by nasal

vaccines that are unavailable as yet). This means that the vaccine recipient may

acquire the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the nasopharynx and transmit it to others

without showing symptoms her/himself. Enough people need to be vaccinated

or immune to the virus to achieve herd immunity which is a herculean task and

may take over a year. Until then, let us not be a link in the chain of disease

transmission. Let’s mask up!



Our choice is now between VIRUS AND VACCINE…lets make a wise choice for us



and for those who will follow our actions.

Dr. Trupti Gilada

trupti_gilada@yahoo.com