Three Covid vaccines have applied for emergency use authorisation in India (Representational)
Protocols have been established for the management of adverse reactions - minor, severe or serious - to the coronavirus vaccine, the government said in a press briefing held Tuesday evening, as it admitted that there is always "the possibility of an adverse event" post-immunisation.
The government said the rules - released as part of vaccination drive guidelines that include limiting vaccinations per session and 30 minutes of on-site monitoring post-injection - are needed since the vaccines had been designed for adults, while existing mechanisms were meant for children.
"Adverse events post-immunisation is a critical aspect. Even during universal immunisation , which have been going on for decades, some adverse effects are seen in children and pregnant women. So we can't deny the possibility of an adverse event," Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said, adding adverse effects had already been reported from countries where vaccination had begun.
"So, it is essential that states and union territories prepare for this too," he added.
As part of the adverse event mechanisms, state governments will set up at least one AEFI centre (Adverse Event Following Immunisation) in each block.
In addition, primary health care facilities, community health centres and private medical facilities would also function as AEFI Management Centres, with vaccination data from each session to be uploaded using the government's Co-WIN (Covid Vaccine Intelligence Network) digital platform.
Other measures include asking states to avoid, as far as possible, mixing different vaccines.
The government has also set up a multi-level mechanism to oversee the vaccination drive at different levels, and said that 36 states and union territories had already held over 600 meetings.
"There are a large number of beneficiaries to be tackled in a small period of time, so it is a bigger challenge," Dr VK Paul, a member of government think-tank NITI Aayog, said.
Dr Paul also said the government was aware of the reports of fungal infections in Covid-recovered patients at a Delhi hospital. "New things are being discovered with the disease constantly," he said, adding that the doctors at the facility would take necessary action.
Today's press briefing also discussed the issue of cold chain management - crucial since the vaccine developed by US pharma giant Pfizer needs to be kept at -70 degrees Celsius to maintain efficacy.
The government said guidelines to mange cold chains and end-of-chain cold points (or vaccination delivery sites had been issued. 240 walk-in coolers, 70 walk-in freezers, 45,000 ice-lined refrigerators, 41,000 deep freezers and 300 solar refrigerators will be used at vaccination sites and storage centres.
The COVID-19 vaccine will be offered first to healthcare workers, frontline workers and persons above 50, followed by persons younger than 50 with associated comorbidities, and finally to the remaining population based on disease epidemiology and vaccine availability.
With input from PTI