There is no choice between vaccines, says Karnataka Health Minister over KARD's objection to Covaxin
Jan 19, 2021
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], January 19 : After the Karnataka Association of Resident Doctors' objected to taking the Covaxin shot developed by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech and requested the government to use Covishield vaccine instead, Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar on Tuesday said there is no choice given in selecting a vaccine as Drugs Controller General of India has cleared both Covishield and Covaxin.
Sudhakar said, "First of all, taking the vaccine is not mandatory. There is no choice given in selecting a vaccine as Drugs Controller General of India has cleared both Covishield and Covaxin. I humbly appeal to all doctors, citizens to accept Covaxin."
The development comes after a 43-year-old health worker in Karnataka's Bellary died of cardiac arrest on Monday, barely two days after he was administered a Covid-19 vaccine.
The death of the 43-year-old man in Bellary, who was administered the COVID-19 vaccine on January 16, was caused by cardiorespiratory arrest secondary to acute anteroseptal wall MI, said the Karnataka Health Department on Monday.
The deceased Nagaraju was a permanent employee of the health department who was vaccinated on January 16 around 1 pm and was normal till Monday morning.
"Today morning when he came to duty, he complained of chest pain at around 9.30 am and collapsed. He was treated immediately and referred to Jindal Sanjeeveni hospital for further treatment where he was admitted at 11.15 am. The highest level of treatment was provided, but he could not be saved," the department said in a statement.
"Apart from him, none of the other health care workers who took the vaccine from the same vial had any adverse events. The district-level AEFI Committee met and had detailed discussions. The conclusion is that the death was due to cardiorespiratory arrest secondary to acute anteroseptal wall MI," it added.
Last week, resident doctors at Delhi's Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital requested the medical superintendent to vaccinate them with Covishield.
