Nagaland: Covid vaccination draws mixed response from healthcare workers

Our Correspondent
Kohima, Jan. 24 (EMN): An air of ambivalence has been shrouding the efficacy of the Covid vaccine even as Nagaland enters the second week of Covid vaccination drive, with over 4000 healthcare workers inoculated so far.

Eastern Mirror reached out to some medical personnel to understand their views and opinions about Covishield, the Covid-19 vaccine that is being administered to frontline workers in the state.

Dr. C Manpa Phom, MBBS MD (Internal Medicine) from Gandhi Medical College and Hamidia Hospital, Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, shared that vaccination is totally voluntary and that “we should avail the facility and not miss the opportunity”.

“Many have misconceptions about Covid vaccination but it’s just another vaccine which is well researched, processed, trialled to thousands of volunteers before giving it to the general public,” he said.

The doctor informed that those previously infected with Covid-19 and above 18 years of age can be vaccinated with the vaccine.

He said the vaccination could be taken even when one has ‘minor cough, cold or fever or patients with hypertension, diabetes, HIV or heart problems’.

Meanwhile, Phom informed that vaccines should not be given to those below 18 years of age and pregnant women, lactating or breastfeeding women.

“Persons with hypersensitivity or reaction to previous trial dose or first dose of the vaccine while people with bleeding disorder or patients on heparin injection and those active Covid patients should not take the vaccine,” he said.

He also informed that the vaccine must be administered with two doses with a gap of 28 days between the doses.

While the vaccination is developed to help the bodies develop immunity to the virus, he explained that there may be side effects of the vaccine such as fever, pain at injection site, muscle ache/body ache, breathing difficulty, hypotension/low blood pressure, weakness of limbs or rare long term complications.

Phom reminded that during the first phase, Covid-19 vaccine would be administered to health workers/frontline workers while people above 50 years of age without co-morbidity and below 50 years of age with co-morbidity will receive the vaccine during the second phase.

“Be it any label of vaccine or whichever type of vaccine has come, it should come through the World Health Organisation (WHO) with legal provisions,” opined a retired doctor in Nagaland, who wished not to be named.

He added that he would not get the vaccine shot unless it is approved by WHO.

The doctor wondered if anyone “will take responsibility” in the event if any person developed serious health issues after taking the vaccine.

He opined that the chief minister, health minister, Cabinet ministers and Health department should give “utmost priority” with the ongoing vaccination drive and have a thorough discussion on whether the vaccine is “safe enough to take” for the masses.

“Directives from higher authority asking frontline workers to take the vaccine will not solve all the health issues,” he said adding, “The Health department and authority must discuss its pros and cons while administering the vaccine to the people.”

Instead of commanding health workers to take the vaccine, the senior doctor said it is “vital for any state leader or any minister to start first with the vaccine and authenticate it with an example,” so that people are not hesitant while taking the jab.

Stating that everyone is not suffering from Covid-19, he suggested one can take precautions by wearing masks, maintaining social distance or hand washing instead of taking the vaccine.

Referring to the mandatory documents that one must produce at the time of receiving Covid-19 vaccine, the doctor said that unlike any vaccine in the past, the Covid-19 vaccine has come with “many things associated with it”.

Lonehole Khatso, a nurse under the Chief Medical Office (CMO) in Kohima, said, “I feel safe,” about taking the vaccine recently. With the coming of the Covid-19 vaccine, she hoped that it would ease their burden of Covid duty to a certain level in tackling the pandemic.

While looking forward to receiving the second dose in the coming days, she shared that she was not hesitant while receiving Covishield although there were viral videos and rumours doing the rounds on social media claiming severe side effects after vaccination.

A senior nurse from a private hospital said she’s waiting for her turn to take the Covid-19 vaccine. She shared that at first, she was hesitant but after many of her colleagues and doctors did not complain about any side effects after taking the vaccine. She is therefore also looking forward to receiving her first dose soon.

A former Covid-19 patient, who works at Naga Hospital Authority Kohima, said she will take the vaccine later although she does not have any health issues at the moment. Many of her colleagues have received the vaccine, she said.

“Since the vaccine is new, I will take it later,” she added.