What does trial mode mean for a vaccine recipient?

In a clinical trial phase, the recipient is firstly asked to give written consent. After getting the vaccine, the recipient will be followed up actively to see if the vaccine has led to any side effects. Here, the person would know that he or she has received the vaccine and not the placebo. It is completely voluntary.

What is the safety and efficacy of the vaccines used in the country?

To ensure that a vaccine is safe, it is tried and tested on a large number of people. In order to ensure that the vaccine recipients are safe, a close watch is kept on the people for the first two-three months. When a vaccine is tested, most of the adverse events or unwanted effects, if any, occur in the first four to six weeks of its administration. One can infer from the data that the vaccine is safe.

As for the efficacy of the vaccine, we need time to tell how effective it is. Most of the vaccines have shown the efficacy of 70-90% within the short period of two to three months of observation, surpassing the global benchmark of 50-60%. Besides, when a vaccine is given an EUA, as in the case of the COVID-19 vaccine, the trial follow-up continues for one-two years to assess the total duration of protection the vaccine will provide.

Which vaccine is better between Covishield® and Covaxin®?

There is no head-to-head comparison done between the two vaccines being used in India. Both work towards preventing the infection as well as prevent a person from going into a severe state of the disease.

What medications should be avoided before taking the COVID-19 vaccine and for how long?

The concern about taking pain killers including ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin and other brands) is that they might curb the very immune system response that a vaccine aims to spur. One can take one’s regular medication uninterruptedly. Just inform the vaccinator about the medicines you consume.

If one is taking medicines for chronic illnesses or suffer from HTN/DM/CKD/heart disease/lipid disorders, etc, can he/she take the COVID-19 vaccine?

Yes, persons with one or more comorbid conditions are considered among the high-risk category and it is advisable that they get vaccinated first. However, if you are concerned for any specific reason, please consult your doctor.

Source: https://www.mohfw.gov.in/covid_vaccination/vaccination/index.html