As India faces concerns over reported side effects from AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine, Covishield, Bharat Biotech has come forward with a declaration of prioritizing human safety above vaccine effectiveness. The company pointed out that, in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Covaxin is the only indigenous COVID-19 vaccine developed. They underscore that multiple tests have been conducted to establish the vaccine's effectiveness, but even before that, the paramount concern has been the safety of the people.
In a statement released on social media platform 'X', Bharat Biotech revealed that Covaxin had been administered to more than 27,000 individuals in the licensing process, with the license granted only after the completion of clinical trials. Additionally, the Ministry of Health of the Indian government also verified the safety of Covaxin.
Studies concerning Covaxin have evidently demonstrated its safe track record, where no signs of severe complications—such as blood clotting, thrombocytopenia, pericarditis (a type of inflammation affecting the lining around the heart), and myocarditis (inflammation of heart tissues)—were observed during the trials.
Bharat Biotech's team was fully aware of the transient effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines but stressed that the long-term impact on individual safety is paramount.
What's the Controversy with Covishield?
It has been recently acknowledged by AstraZeneca in the UK High Court that their COVID-19 vaccine could potentially lead to side effects such as Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS). This condition can cause blood clots (Blood Clot) or a rapid drop in platelets, raising the risk of brain strokes due to blood clots in the body.
The spreading news of AstraZeneca's vaccine side effects has caused anxiety among those who received Covishield in India. This led to debates on social media and, with the backdrop of parliamentary elections, opposition parties began questioning the Modi government on the reliability of the vaccine.
