Which Vaccine Is Better: Detailed Analysis Of Covaxin Vs Covishield

The first phase of the COVID-19 vaccination drive has begun in India, from January 16. Three crore health and frontline warriors will be vaccinated in the first phase, the ministry said in a release. This will be followed by vaccination of people above 50 years of age and people under 50 and have comorbidities. The ministry informed, 27 crore people fall under these two categories.

India has kicked off the 2nd phase of Covid-19 vaccination from March 1. Vaccines will be given for free at government hospitals, and no more than ₹250 per person per dose will be charged at the private hospitals. People aged 60+ and those people with age above 45/ with associated comorbidities can take the life-saving shots.

According to the Union Health Ministry, 19,33,72,819 doses of Covid-19 vaccines have been carried out so far.

The government hasn’t allowed people to decide which vaccine they want to get, but the result of the first phase clearly suggests that both the vaccines being vaccinated in India are safe and effective.

This is also the fact that people are still unaware of how the two vaccines – Covaxin and Covishield – are disparate from each other.

Covaxin vs Covishield – Which is a better vaccine? Let us analyse: 

Covaxin has been developed by Bharat Biotech International Ltd. in association with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Institute of Virology (NIV). On the other hand Covishield has been developed by the Oxford-AstraZeneca and is manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII).

There is no difference between Covaxin and Covishield. Both of them follow a two-dose regimen, administered 28 days apart.

Both the vaccines have shown more than satisfactory results ever since the vaccination drive has started in India.

Covaxin has been granted a restricted-use authorization clinical trial mode, while Covishield has been allowed for restricted use in emergency situations.

However, The Drugs Controller General of India (DGCI) has not given a market use approval to any of the vaccines till now.

The interval of Covishield between 1st and 2nd doses is 12-16 weeks. Whereas The interval of Covaxin between the 2 doses is 4-6 weeks.

The second dose Covishield dose varies from 70-90%. And Covaxin can be 78-100% effective after the second dose.

People above 18 years of age can opt for Covishield. And Covaxin can be injected into younger people as well 12 years and above.

Covishield is cheaper, SII is selling Covishield at INR 300 (government) and INR 600 (private centres).Whereas Covaxin is being sold at INR 400 (government) and INR 1200 (private facilities).

Top health experts in India have stated that both Covaxin and Covishield are effective against the mutated, UK/South Africa/Brazil virus.

According to a study conducted by the Spanish university, a combination of AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccine was totally safe and effective in controlling the spread and prevention of the disease.

Keeping this in mind taking two doses of two different Covid Vaccines is “theoretically possible”, but more in-depth research is needed in the matter, Dr VK Paul, Member Health NITI Aayog said on Saturday.