Mansukh Mandaviya dispels doubts related to post-vaccination complexities

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 10

Dispelling doubts on post-vaccination complexities in some people, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday told the Lok Sabha that vaccine is given approval only after detailed studies and cautioned against possible vaccine hesistancy by claims of health complications after vaccination. “In case there is a negative effect, a person goes to hospital. In case it is proved that the effect has been due to the vaccine, further steps are taken. I would request that such claims are avoided because they lead to vaccine hesitancy. It is because of lot of efforts and awareness that the (COVID-19) vaccine programme is going on, we should all support it,” he said

Mandaviya was replying to supplementaries by Anandpur Sahib MP Manish Tiwari, who, referring to “post vaccine complications” in some person known to him, wanted to know “if the Indian Council of Medical Research or any other medical body has conducted any kind of research, or is there any kind of empirical evidence which has been gathered, to determine that what really is the incidence of post-vaccine complications”.

“Has the government really, institutionally taken a view as to how to deal with it and surmount it,” Tiwari asked.

Meanwhile, Mandviya also told the House that many as 86 per cent of India’s eligible population has received the first dose of COVID vaccine and the government wishes that 100 per cent vaccination is achieved at the earliest

Sharing data about the COVID vaccination levels in other countries, including the US, Germany and France, the Minister said India has been doing well on the vaccination front.

Replying to supplementary questions, Mandaviya also said that 7 crore vaccines are lying with states

To a query related to Omicron, he said that studies are going on and only after the studies are complete, it will be known which vaccine is how much effective against the new variant.

In a written reply, he said the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) and National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) are deliberating and considering scientific evidences related to dose schedule of vaccines and the need for justification for booster dose. As on December 6, “about 80.02 crore eligible beneficiaries (85.2 per cent) (i.e. persons aged 18 years & above) have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 47.91 crore (51.0 per cent) have received both the doses of the vaccine”, he added.