Shot in the arm for Covaxin in Karnataka as more people queue up for jab

With the opening of vaccinations for everyone aged above 45 years, health officials in the state noticed a new trend: Covaxin, the junior vaccine which was once regarded with suspicion, has now become the public’s vaccine of choice.

As per data from the health department, 5.08 lakh doses of Covaxin have been administered so far. While this is a far cry from the 44.9 lakh Covishield jabs given so far as of Wednesday morning, officials said the demand for Covaxin has spiked since April 1.

In the city, K C General Hospital, which has so far given 10,350 doses since vaccinations started in January 16, said that over half of all doses (5,280) are of Covaxin, as opposed to 5,070 doses of Covishield.

“Even though Covaxin doses were only started later on March 13, their numbers have already achieved parity with Covishield,” said Dr B R Venkateshaiah, medical superintendent of the hospital.

Read: As Covid cases surge in India, 77% of people more willing to take vaccine: Report

A strident increase in public interest in Covaxin has also been noted at the Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute (BMCRI), which has so far dispensed 13,107 shots since vaccinations began on January 16. “Out of these total doses, only about 2,092 doses are of Covaxin, but nearly 2,000 of these were given in just the last 10 to 12 days,” a source said.

“About 65% of people coming for vaccinations now demand Covaxin,” the source said.

This trend was confirmed by Dr Rajani Nageshrao, Director of Immunisations, Department of Health and Family Welfare, who said the demand for Covaxin was especially high in Bengaluru. However, she noted that the demand had started earlier in mid-March. “The moment Covaxin was removed from clinical trial mode, a lot more people started asking for it,” she said.

The piqued public interest of late could be due to medical concerns over the effects of Covishield, said Dr H Sudarshan Ballal of Manipal Hospital and a member of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). He pointed to recent reports of a link between AstraZeneca’s vaccine (Covishield) and rare blood clots in the brain.

Read: Drugs Controller General of India allows clinical trials for third dose of Covaxin

However, for members of the Emergency Response Team (ERT), a large group of citizen volunteers, government officers and medicos, who offer assistance to the public in hospitalisation, burials and vaccine information, the reasons are more nuanced.

Ismail Mohammed, a project coordinator, said that interest in Covaxin has increased because people believe that the vaccine has higher efficacy than Covishield (which has reported between 65% and 90% efficacy), and because celebrities and leaders have taken the vaccine.

This was confirmed by a government immunisation officer who said that people demand to be given the same vaccine “taken by Prime Minister Modi”.