The COVID-19 vaccination drive has already begun in India, and many people are still unaware of how the two vaccines – Covaxin and Covishield – are different from each other.
The third phase began on April 1, in which people over the age of 18 can take life-saving shots.
Currently, the government hasn’t allowed people to decide which vaccine they want to get, but the result of the first phase clearly suggests that both the vaccines being inoculated in India are safe and effective.
Covaxin vs Covishield – Which one is better?
Well, we have compiled all the information to give you a better understanding of the formulation and every other detail about the vaccine you are going to get to stay safe from the Coronavirus. Have a look –
Developer
Covaxin has been developed by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech International Ltd in association with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Institute of Virology (NIV).
Covishield has been developed by the Oxford-AstraZeneca and is being manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII).
Type of Vaccine
Covaxin is an inactivated viral vaccine. This vaccine is developed with Whole-Virion Inactivated Vero Cell-derived technology. They contain inactivated viruses, which can not infect a person but still can teach the immune system to prepare a defence mechanism against the active virus.
These conventional vaccines have been in use for decades now. There are vaccines for some other diseases as well which are made using the same technology. These diseases are –
- Seasonal influenza
- Rabies
- Polio
- Pertussis, and
- Japanese encephalitis
Covishield has been prepared using the viral vector platform which is a totally different technology.
A chimpanzee adenovirus – ChAdOx1 – has been modified to enable it to carry the COVID-19 spike protein into the cells of humans. Well, this cold virus is basically incapable of infecting the receiver but can very well teach the immune system to prepare a mechanism against such viruses.
The exact technology was used to prepare vaccines for viruses like Ebola.
Doses
There is no difference between the two vaccines in terms of dosage. Both of them are administered as 0.5ml in the upper arm region.
But, the dosing schedule for both vaccines however varies. The second dose of Covaxin is scheduled after 4-6 weeks after the first dose, while for Covishield vaccines it is 84 days or 12-16 weeks after the first dose.
Storage Guidelines
Both Covishield and Covaxin can be stored at 2-8 degrees Centigrade, which is a household refrigerator temperature. This makes both the vaccines most suited for Indian conditions as most of the vaccines here are kept at the same temperature range.
This also makes the transportation and storage of both vaccines easier.
Efficacy
Both the vaccines have shown more than satisfactory results ever since the inoculation started in India.
The effectiveness of the Covishield vaccine is nearly 90% as per the global reports and Covaxin’s 81% according to interim 3rd phase trial results.
Side effects
After getting vaccinated, you may experience pain at the site of injection. Some people may also experience side effects such as headache, joint pain, and may feel feverish. These side effects do not persist for long and generally go within a day or two.
Approvals
Covaxin has currently been granted approval for emergency restricted use, while Covishield has been allowed for restricted use in emergency situations that can potentially prevent coronavirus infection in people aged 18 years and above.
Covaxin has begun its clinical trial in children aged above 2 years of age.
However, the Drugs Controller General of India (DGCI) has not given a market use authorization clearance to any of the vaccines till now.
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