India’s COVID-19 vaccine company warns some to avoid shot

NEW DELHI: India’s homegrown coronavirus vaccine developer Bharat Biotech has warned people with weak immunity and other medical conditions including allergies, fever, or a bleeding disorder to consult a doctor before getting the shot – and if possible avoid the vaccine.

The company said those receiving its Covaxin shots should disclose their medical condition, medicines being taken and any history of allergies. It said severe allergic reactions among vaccine recipients may include difficulty breathing, swelling of the face and throat, rapid heartbeat, body rashes, dizziness and weakness.

The directive by the Indian manufacturer came three days after India started what the government calls the “world’s largest vaccination programme”. The vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech ran into controversy after the country’s drug regulator allowed its use without concrete data showing its effectiveness in preventing COVID-19. The drug regulator took the step without publishing information about the Indian vaccine’s efficacy.

Bharat Biotech has still not published data on its vaccine’s effectiveness but said it is complying with clinical trial guidelines. The regulator maintains the vaccine is safe and gave its approval in the belief that it could be more effective in tackling a new variant of the coronavirus found in the UK. The regulator and the company have said efficacy data will be published after continuing late clinical trials conclude.

Most hospitals in India are inoculating healthcare workers with the AstraZeneca vaccine. The turnout, particularly in hospitals using the Bharat Biotech vaccine, has been relatively low.

Hospitals in New Delhi that have been administering the Bharat Biotech vaccine have seen many doctors hesitant to get the shot. Tens of thousands of people have been given the shot in the past three days after India started inoculating healthcare workers last weekend.

India vaccinated 148,266 people on Monday, taking its total to 381,305, the health ministry said. Indian authorities hope to give vaccines to 300 million people by July 2021.

The vaccination drive began at a time when coronavirus infections have fallen sharply, and much of life has returned to normal. India is second only to the United States in the number of confirmed cases at 10.5 million. The country ranks third in the number of reported deaths, behind the US and Brazil, with more than 152,000 fatalities.