COVAXIN VS COVISHIELD – A DETAILED COMPARISON – EFFICACY, SIDE EFFECTS

India’s COVID-19 vaccination drive is already underway. Many people don’t know the difference between the two vaccines – Covaxin & Covishield.

On April 1, the third phase started. This is where people over 18 can receive life-saving shots.

The government is not allowing people to choose which vaccine they want, but the results of the first phase suggest that both vaccines in India are safe. At the moment, 41.2 million doses have been given. 8.55 million people, or 6.3% of the total population, are currently fully vaccinated.

Covaxin or Covishield? Which one is better?

We have all the details to help you understand the formula and how to stay safe from the Coronavirus . Take a look at the following:

Developer

Bharat Biotech International Ltd, Hyderabad-based, has developed Covaxin in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research and the National Institute of Virology. Covaxin is currently attempting to obtain WHO approval to alleviate international travel woes of people who have chosen this vaccine. All relevant documents were urgently submitted to WHO officials.

The Delta variant of Covaxin is more infectious than the other COVID variants. Therefore, Covaxin’s makers have begun a new study to assess the effectiveness of the booster dose. These results will be published in November 2021.

Covishield was developed by Oxford-AstraZeneca and is currently being manufactured by the Serum Institute of India.

Doctors are considering whether a booster dose of Covishield is necessary, as the Delta variant may not be producing the desired immune response in the elderly or people with comorbidities.

Types of vaccine

Covaxin, an inactivated virus vaccine, is available. This vaccine was developed using Whole-Virion Inactivated Vero Cell-derived technology. These vaccines contain an inactivated virus, which cannot infect anyone but can still teach the immune system how to create a defense mechanism against active viruses.

These traditional vaccines have been used for many decades. Other diseases can also be treated with the same technology. These diseases include –

- Seasonal influenza
- Rabies
- Polio
- Pertussis,
- Japanese Encephalitis

Covishield was prepared with the viral vector platform, which is a completely different technology.

The ChAdOx1 Chimpanzee Adenovirus has been modified to allow it to carry the CoVID-19 spike protein to the cells of human beings. This cold virus can infect the receiver, but it can teach the immune system how to protect itself against viruses like this.

This exact technology was used in the preparation of vaccines against viruses such as Ebola.

Does

The vaccines have the same dosage. Both are administered in the upper arm region at 0.5ml.

However, the dosing schedules for both vaccines are different. Covaxin can be given after 4-6 weeks and Covishield vaccines after 12-16 weeks.

Storage guidelines

Covishield, as well as Covaxin, can both be kept at 2-8 degrees Celsius, which is the temperature of a refrigerator in a home. Both vaccines are best suited to Indian conditions because they can be stored at the same temperature as the rest of India.

This makes it easier to transport and store both vaccines.

Efficacy

Since inoculation began in India, both vaccines have proven to be more than satisfactory.

Global reports show that the Covishield vaccine has a 90% effectiveness rate. Covaxin’s 81% efficiency was determined by interim 3rd-phase trial results.

Side effects

You may feel pain near the injection site after you have been vaccinated. Side effects include headaches, pain, and feverishness. These side effects usually disappear within a few days.

Approvals

Covaxin is currently approved for emergency restricted usage, while Covishield can be used in limited situations to prevent coronavirus infections in individuals aged 18 and older.

Covaxin’s clinical trial has been initiated in children over two years old.

However, until now, the Drugs Controller General of India DGCI has not granted market authorization clearance for any of these vaccines.

Prices for vaccines

At government health centers, both vaccines can be inoculated for free. The cost of vaccines at a private hospital is different. For exact costs, contact the hospitals.

Mode for administration

Covaxin, as well as Covishield intramuscular vaccines.

Age of beneficiaries

For people over 18 years, Covishield or Covaxin are approved.

PharmEasy wanted to support the Government of India’s COVID vaccination drive. We are offering a token to show our appreciation for every person who has gotten vaccinated with our “Go Corona Go Initiative”. We are looking for SUPERHEROES to help India become COVID-free. We would give a flat of 1150 PharmEasy cash to each citizen for every vaccine they take. This money can then be used on the next order.

Summarising the differences between Covishield & Covaxin

Covishield	Covaxin
Between the first and second doses, there is a 12-16 week interval.	Between the two doses, it takes 4-6 weeks.
The effectiveness of the second dose may vary between 70-90%.	After the second dose, this vaccine is 78-95% effective.
This vaccine is available to anyone over 18 years old.	The vaccine can be administered to anyone over 18 years old.

India’s newest vaccine

Cipla was granted permission by the Drug Controller General of India in June to purchase the Modern vaccine from the USA. This is the first time that a US vaccine has arrived in India. India has received 7.5 million doses of the Moderna vaccine.

The mRNA technology is used in this vaccine, and it has been tested to be 94.1% efficient.

Get the latest information on the COVID vaccine.

- India has given 1491 million doses COVID vaccine. Over 620 million people have been vaccinated with two doses of COVID vaccine.
- Indian health officials have confirmed that Covishield and Covaxin are both effective against the mutated virus in Brazil, South Africa, and India.
- India has granted Sputnik V a special emergency authorization. The Russian vaccine will now be manufactured in India by Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories. Recent research has shown that Sputnik V does not cause severe allergies.
- India will produce approximately 850 million doses annually of the Sputnik V vaccination.
- Sputnik V is more effective than Covishield or Covaxin in terms of effectiveness. It has 91.6% effectiveness, compared to Covishield’s almost 90% (global reports) and Covaxin’s 81% (interim phase trial results).
- Bharat Biotech will increase the production of Covaxin by 12 million units per month.
- Sputnik, the third coronavirus vaccine in India, will be available and will be shipped to India this month. India’s Sputnik V vaccine production will continue to grow and could exceed 50 million doses each month.
- All vaccine producers must sell half of their stock through the free market to the states. The central government will receive the remaining 50%.
- All vaccines will now be on the open market. This means that vaccine manufacturers can decide the price for each dose of vaccine based on demand and supply.
- There is very little risk of developing COVID from 2 doses of Covaxin/Covishiled. Study results showed that 0.03% of COVID cases were diagnosed after taking Covishield, while 0.04% of those who tested positive for COVID had taken Covaxin after receiving the second dose.
- The vaccine is also available to pregnant and lactating women.

The difference between Sputnik V & the other two vaccines.

Sputnik	Covishield, and Covaxin
This was developed by the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Dr. Reddy.	Covishield was developed by the SII and Oxford University, AstraZeneca, and Covishield by Bharat Biotech. Covaxin was developed by ICMR and Bharat Biotech.
It is 91.6 percent effective.	Covishield is effective up to 90% and Covaxin can be effective between 78-81%.
The time between two doses will likely be 21 days.	The interval between Covishiled or Covaxin doses is 12-16 weeks, and 4-6 weeks, respectively