Which COVID-19 Vaccine Is The Best?
Table of Contents
India is finally giving out two COVID-19 vaccines to all its citizens who are above the age of 18 years. One of them is Covaxin by Bharat Biotech and the other one is Covishield by Serum Institute of India. A third vaccine, the Sputnik V, has been approved recently to meet the rising demands for the COVID-19 vaccine. It will soon be available to everyone.
The various vaccines have given rise to questions of which one is the best vaccine. Currently, there is no way of choosing which vaccine you will be getting. If anyone wants to take the vaccine, they have to register on any one of the official portals like the CoWIN website or the Arogya Setu app for their vaccination slot. A few on-spot slots are also available in most government facilities these days.
Difference Between Covaxin and Covishield
Once you register for the vaccine, you will either receive the Covaxin or the Covishield. To understand which vaccine might be the best, take a look at the difference between them.
Parameter |
Covaxin |
Covishield |
|
Manufacturer |
Bharat Biotech International Limited in association with the Indian Council of Medical Research and National Institute of Virology. |
Serum Institute of India in association with the AstraZeneca Vaccine from Oxford. |
|
Vaccine Mechanism |
Covaxin uses the Whole-Virion Inactivated Vero Cell-derived technology that introduces the inactivated coronavirus into the human body. It is done to get the immune system used to responding to the live viral infection. This is a tried and tested method as it has previously been used for vaccines of polio, rabies etc. |
Covishield is a viral vector vaccine. It uses an adenovirus strain from chimpanzees, containing the coronavirus protein. This is introduced into the body and it teaches the immune system to prepare a defence mechanism against COVID-19 and the live coronavirus. The adenovirus itself is harmless and can only cause common cold. |
|
Efficacy |
80.6% |
81.3% |
|
Interval Between Two Doses |
4 to 6 weeks |
12 to 16 weeks |
|
Efficiency Against the New Mutations of Coronavirus |
Although the Covaxin is effective against the Indian strain, it is comparatively less effective against the foreign strains like the UK and African ones. |
Comparatively more efficient against all the types of strains |
About Sputnik V COVID-19 Vaccine
The Sputnik V is also to be administered in two doses with 21 days in between. Unlike most other vaccines, the two doses of the Sputnik have a slightly different formula. This has been done in an effort to increase the efficiency of the vaccine and make the protection provided by it more long-lasting. The late-stage trial results of Sputnik V show it has an efficacy rate of around 92%. The Sputnik V is reported to be available to the people of India from around the month of June.
Endnotes
The vaccines against COVID-19 are the only weapon to combat the pandemic right now. Since there is no way to choose the type of vaccine one will get, it is advisable to not dwell over which vaccine is the best. Among the vaccines that are being given out currently, both have almost similar efficacy rates and side effects. Therefore, it is better to try and get vaccinated as soon as possible so that the spread of the coronavirus can be stopped.
Also Read: Things to do if Tested Positive for Coronavirus
Will My Second Dose Vaccination Appointment Be Automatically Scheduled By CoWIN System?
Disclaimer: This article is issued in the general public interest and meant for general information purposes only. Readers are advised not to rely on the contents of the article as conclusive in nature and should research further or consult an expert in this regard.
