Covishield, Covaxin, Sputnik V: Know the differences between three COVID-19 vaccines
COVID-19 vaccination in India: India's two indigenous COVID-19 vaccines — Covaxin and Covishield — have already been deployed in the ongoing vaccination drive while the delivery of the third vaccine approved i.e. Sputnik V was awaited.
The registration process for COVID-19 vaccination in India for those in the 18-45 age group started on CoWIN platform on April 28 while the vaccination is set to begin on May 1.
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| Vaccine | Type of Vaccine | Dosage and time gap between doses | Storage and expiry | Price in INR (Rs) |
| AstraZeneca (Covishield from SII - Pune) | Viral Vector | 2 injections, 12-week gap | 2 to 8 Deg C, 6 months | For govt: Rs 300 per dose to states and Rs 600 per dose to private hospitals For citizens: Rs 250 in private hospitals and free at government centres |
| CoVaxin (Bharat Biotech, Hyderabad) | Inactivated Virus | 2 injections, 4-8 week gap | 2 to 8 Deg C | For govt: Rs 600 per dose for state governments and Rs 1,200 per dose for private hospitals For citizens: Rs 250 in private hospitals and free at government centres |
| Sputnik V (Gamaleya - Russia & Dr Reddy's) | Viral Vector | 2 injections; 21 days to 3 months | -18.55 Deg C (liquid form) and 2 to 8 Deg C (dry form) | Not yet officially declared for India. Globally priced at $10 (approx Rs 750) per dose. |
Sputnik V is constituted of two different vectors (carriers), therefore its two doses are different and both of them must be taken as prescribed. As for Covishield and Covaxin, the experts say that no two different vaccines must be mixed and matched for the two doses process.
Even after taking the two doses, people must continue to follow the COVID-19 safety protocol of washing hands with soap and water, social distancing, and masking up.
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