NEW DELHI: The Resident Doctors Association (RDA) of the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital here on Saturday requested the medical superintendent to vaccinate them with Oxford Covid-19 vaccine Covishield.
In a letter to the medical superintendent, the association said the resident doctors were a bit apprehensive about Covaxin and might not participate in the immunisation drive in large numbers thus defeating the purpose of the exercise which began in the country on Saturday. We have come to know that the Covid-19 vaccination drive is being conducted by the hospital today. Covaxin manufactured by Bharat Biotech is being preferred in our hospital over Covishield manufactured by Serum Institute.
While government officials said that no adverse reaction was reported on the first day, reports emerged about cases of adverse reactions in Delhi, Telangana, and Maharashtra.
India Today reported that one severe , and 51 minor cases of adverse reactions after vaccination were reported among health workers in Delhi.
The Indian Express reported that Maharashtra had recorded 14 cases of adverse events, however, none were fatal.
The Indian Express also quoted Telangana public health director G Srinivasa Rao as saying that 11 mild cases of adverse reactions were noted. They experienced pain, giddiness, and sweating, which are the most common in any vaccination program, he reportedly said.
The Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital s (RMLH s) Resident Doctor Association (RDA) has officially sent a letter to the hospital administration, saying doctors of the hospital are apprehensive about Bharat Biotech s Covaxin, which is the only vaccine being used at the vaccination centre. With only one hour to go before end of Day 1, only 31 people had turned up to receive the Covaxin jab at the hospital, according to Dr. Palak, medical officer at vaccine site number 2 of the hospital. “We hope more people will come out for vaccination soon,” she added. “As of now, we can only take Covaxin, otherwise no vaccine at all,” said an RML RDA official in a conversation with Business Standard.
Doctors of Delhi’s premier RML Hospital have shot a letter to the hospital superintendent saying they do not want to take the Bharat Biotech vaccine – Covaxin – and would instead prefer the Covishield vaccine of Serum Institute of India.
Dr Nirmalya Mohapatra, Vice President of RDA at RML Hospital talking to ANI on Saturday. (Photo/ANI)
RML Resident Doctors Association opposes Bharat Biotech s Covaxin vaccine, cites lack of complete trial ANI | Updated: Jan 16, 2021 22:46 IST
New Delhi [India] January 16 (ANI): As India started its vaccination drive against COVID-19 on Saturday, members of Resident Doctors Association (RDA) at RML hospital here expressed doubts over Covaxin, saying there is lack of complete trial .
Dr Nirmalya Mohapatra, Vice President of RML Hospital RDA said they had come to know that only Coxavin, has been provided to the hospital.
Covaxin is being manufactured by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with ICMR.