Bengaluru: People from other districts and even countries flock to private hospitals in Bengaluru, looking for a dose of Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine.
Until 8pm, Friday, a total of 12,015 beneficiaries received the first dose of the Russian vaccine in Karnataka (9.416 within the boundary of the BBMP), the data on the Cowin portal was revealed.
Across the country, the image reached 1,61,077.
In Karnataka, Sputnik is also available in several hospitals in the district of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi.
Sputnik V is seen as an interesting choice because it has a 21-day interval only between doses, the lowest for all Covid-19 vaccines currently available in this country.
Another big draw is the efficacy of 92% claimed by the producer.
The authorities at United Hospital, one of the few hospitals that provided Jab Sputnik in Bengaluru, said because these two factors were willing to wait for shots.
Dhanesh Babu is one of those who chose to get a shot in Bengaluru recently.
The vice president of the company in Bengaluru, he had moved to Kerala almost a year ago.
“In Kerala, the priority is to vaccinate the elderly population.
So I chose to go to Bengaluru to get sputnik,” Dhanesh said.
He said the efficacy factor was what pulled him into the Russian vaccine.
He took a dose at Manipal Hospital.
“Over the past seven days, 41% of the recipients took Covishield, 32% sputnik, and 27% Covaxin,” said Manipal Hospital Authority, confirmed sputnik requests.
On July 2, a family of eight people from Shivamogga came to Bengaluru who was looking for sputnik vaccines.
Seven of them took vaccines at United Hospital, Jayanagar.
An old woman in the family was not shot because she had high BP.
BRABU, a family member who took the injection, said everything suffered – and recovered – from Covid-19 years ago.
“We want to take the Russian vaccine because it is highly recommended by family friends in Hyderabad.
We came to Bengaluru because it was not available in our district,” said Babu, a contractor.
He said nothing of them had side effects.
Babu said the large weight had been lifted from their minds after taking a dose.
“It’s a big relief that the second dose will end in just three weeks.
With different possibilities, we don’t want to take Covishield because it will require a three-month wait for the second dose,” he said.
Dr.
Vikram Reddy, founder, United Hospital, said his staff had got questions for sputnik and 30% of calls from the district and other states.
Unlike covishield and covaxin, the composition of two different sputnic doses.
This vaccine comes in a single dose bottle and must be stored at minus 25 degrees Celsius.
It must be taken to room temperature before being given.
Also, vaccines come in powder form and must be converted to liquid forms that can be injected.
Not for pregnant women, experts say the literature that comes with a vaccine clearly states that it must be given to pregnant women and nursing mothers and, therefore, women like that must avoid taking sputnik.
“According to advisors from the Indian government, pregnant women and nursing mothers can take Covishield or Covaxin,” said Dr.
MK Sudarshan, Chairman, Covid-19 State Technical Advisory Committee.
When contacted, Arundhathi Chandrashekar, director of the mission, the National Health Mission, Karnataka, only said Covaxin and Covishield is currently approved by the Indian government to be used in breastfeeding and pregnant women.
There was no difference, Dr.
Vidya Bhat, Gynecologist, said there was not much difference in making covishield and sputnik because both were vector vaccines based on adenovirus.
“This vaccine has been approved by WHO and the European government for pregnant women and nursing mothers,” said Dr.
Bhat.
Maybe, further processes are being done to ensure this women’s category can take a vaccine.
It should not be a cause of worries for pregnant women if they have taken it.
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