Covid vaccination: 52 Indian health workers show adverse reaction

GBNEWS24 DESK//

One “severe” and 51 “minor” cases of AEFI (adverse events following immunisation) were reported among health workers who were administered the coronavirus vaccine in Indian capital of Delhi on the first day of the COVID-19 vaccination drive on Saturday, official figures showed.

Against a target of 8,117 health workers to be vaccinated on the first day of the drive in 11 districts of Delhi, a total of 4,319 were administered the vaccine, figures showed.

Officials said a few cases of AEFI were observed in some people who were administered the vaccine, reports PTI.

“A few AEFI cases were reported but most were minor and the persons were normalised during observation period. Only one severe AEFI case was reported in South Delhi,” said a top government official.

According to World Health Organisation (WHO), any untoward medical occurrence which follows immunisation and does not necessarily have a causal relationship with the usage of the vaccine, is known as AEFI.

District officials said most of the persons who developed “minor” AEFI post vaccination complained about dizziness and headache. They will be monitored for a few days to ensure their normal state of health, they said.

In AIIMS here, a security guard who was administered a shot of Covaxin on Saturday was admitted at the hospital after he developed an allergic reaction as part of “severe” adverse events following immunisation.

According to All India Institute of Medical Sciences Director Randeep Guleria, the security guard, in his 20s, at AIIMS who received the jab after 4 pm, complained of palpitations and developed an allergic skin rash within 15-20 minutes after being inoculated and was admitted to the facility.