Covid 19 Vaccination : Faqs

To reduce the burden of COVID-19 Pandemic,COVID-19 vaccination programme was started by Government from 16 January 2021. In the first phase Health Care Workers and in the second phase, Frontline Workers including Election personnel are being vaccinated. In the third phase, from 1 st March 2021, vaccination of citizens of age-appropriate categories and with co-morbidities is starting.

1. Who are eligible to receive COVID Vaccines?

Ans:

a) All citizens that are aged, or will attain the age of, 60 years or more as on 1 st January 2022.

b) All such citizens that are aged, or will attain the age of 45 years to 59 years as on 1 st January 2022, and have any of the specified comorbidities or diseases.

c) Health Care Workers, Frontline workers as specified by MOHFW including Election Personnel-who are already being vaccinated.

2. Which are the comorbidities/ diseases specified for the 45-59 year group, which make them eligible for the vaccine?

Ans:

Those with one or more of the following diseases will be eligible provided that they get certificate from Registered Medical Practitioner, in a specific format as given in the Annexure below -I. For further understanding on the following comorbidities or diseases, please consult your doctor

3. Is it necessary for a COVID recovered person to take the vaccine?

Ans:

It is advisable to receive the complete schedule of the COVID vaccine irrespective of past history of infection. This will help develop better immune response against the disease.

4. Which COVID vaccines will be available to the eligible people? Can I choose which vaccine to take?

Ans:

Presently, Covishield and Covaxin are the two types of vaccine available in India. You will get one of these two vaccines but can not choose the vaccine that you would like to take. Which vaccine will be given to you, will be decided by the vaccine provider according to allocation. During online registration also, vaccine option will not be given.

5. How many doses of vaccine do I have to take?

Ans:

You will have to take 2 doses of vaccine at an interval of 28 days. You will get both the doses of the same vaccine. Limited flexibility of interval between 2 doses will be available between 29th to 42nd day.

6. Where can I get the Vaccine from?

Ans:

Vaccine will be available from Government & Private Health Facilities as notified . These will be known as COVID Vaccination Centres (CVC).

7. Which Govt and Private Health facilities will be designated as CVCs and provide the vaccine to me?

Ans:

a) Government Health facilities from Medical College Hospitals upto Suswasthya Kendras will provide vaccination in West Bengal. These include all Government Medical Colleges, District Hospitals, Sub-Divisional Hospitals, Community Health Centers, Primary Health Centers and selected Sub- Centers/Suswasthya Kendras. Government Health Facilities will also include Central Institutions, Health Facilities of other Ministries such as Railways, ESIC, Home etc. and all CGHS dispensaries. Please ask your local govt health care worker about the nearest government facilitiy, where vaccine will be available, so that you may choose your preferred CVC. It is advisable to opt for the CVC which is near your residence.

b) Selected Private Health facilities will also provide the vaccine. These facilities will have to be empaneled under Swasthya Sathischeme or CGHS scheme. These hospitalsshould also fulfil some technical criteria to become a private CVC. You can know about the names of the Private Hospitals and Nursing homes which are designated as Private CVC from the CoWIN App that you can download in your mobile phone. These details are also available at the health department website www.wbhealth.gov.in very soon.

8. Do I have to register myself to get the vaccine?

Ans:

Yes, registration is required for COVID Vaccination.

a) You can either pre-register yourself online and get an appointment for vaccination or

b) Register yourself on-the-spot, get the appointment and get vaccinated on the same day.

c) For those who have already received the 1 st dose and due for the second dose, slots will be automatically reserved in the CoWIN App and there is no need for registering again.

9. How do I pre-register myself online for an appointment for vaccination?

Ans:

• Online registration and appointment can be done through Co-WIN App which you can download on your mobile phone.

• You will have to give some basic information about yourself and details of your photoidentification card to get yourself registered online.

• From one mobile phone number, one can register 4 persons, however, each person will need their own photo-identification document.

• If Aadhar card is used as identification document, consent will be obtained and recorded. In the App, you can find out the list of available CVCs and dates and time of available vaccination slots, to book an appointment as per your choice. You will need an OTP verification prior to registration and a confirmation slip/token will be generated after registration. You will also get a confirmatory sms later.

For all Private Hospitals, prior-registration and appointment will be the only method of registration.

For Government hospitals, a proportion of slots will be available for online registration and appointment, the rest will be kept for on-site registration and vaccination.

Appointments for any date for a Vaccination Center will be closed at 12:00 pm on the day prior to the date.

10. If I cannot pre-register myself online, how do I register on the spot and get vaccinated?

Ans:

Those who cannot/will not get themselves registered online can contact local govt health workers, who will help the beneficiaries to come to any Government CVC for on-the-spot registration, appointment, verification and vaccination on the same day. Please ask your nearest govt health care workers to guide you about the nearest Government CVC where COVID vaccination will be available and the days of the week when this will be available. You need to carry your mobile phone and a photo-identification document to get yourself vaccinated. The workers in the Govt CVC will help you to register on the spot, get appointment and get vaccinated on the same day.

11. Which photo-identity documents are applicable for online registration? Do I have to carry the same when I go for vaccination?

Ans:

For Online registration, you will need any of the following photo-identification proof:

a) Aadhar Card/Letter

b) Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC)

c) Passport

d) Driving License

e) PAN Card

f) NPR Smart Card

g) Pension Document with photograph You will have to carry the photo-identity document with which you register yourself online, when you go to the vaccination centre. You will also have to carry the mobile phone by which you registered yourself.

12. What photo-identity and other documents do I have to carry for onsite registration and vaccination?

Ans:

For onsite registration, you will have to carry any of the following documents:

a) Aadhar card

b) Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC)

c) Passport d) Driving License

e) PAN Card

f) NPR Smart Card

g) Pension Document with photograph

h) Also carry Certificate of comorbidity for citizens in age group 45-59 years, issued by a Registered medical Practitioner in a specified format

i) Carry your mobile phone

13. How do I get the second dose?

Ans:

Second dose will be scheduled at the same CVC on 29th day of the date of appointment of the 1st dose, at the time of appointment for 1st dose. You will have a limited flexibility to change the slot for 2nd dose in the period 29th day to 42nd day of the first dose, only when

a) the 1st dose has already been administered, and if so –

b) only for such CVCs where the vaccine type is the same as the vaccine type of the 1st dose appointment.

c) Special reserved 2nd dose slots will be kept by the system to offer alternativesto such beneficiaries who are not able to avail vaccination for 2nd dose in the period of 29th day to 42nd day of administration of first dose.

14. Can I change / correct some details in the online registration details later?

Ans:

Details required during registration can be amended later or deleted from the same mobile number until the 1 st dose of the vaccine has been given. After the 1 st dose, no further changes can be done except to change the date of the 2 nd dose (upto 42 days after 1 st dose) as mentioned above.

15. Can I cancel my appointment?

Ans:

Yes, you can, but remember: If you cancel a 1st dose appointment, then appointment of both doses will be cancelled. Option for cancellation of second dose appointment will not be available.

16. Do I have to pay for the vaccine?

Ans:

• Vaccination will be provided free of charge at the Government Health Facilities.

• For Private Health Facilities, you will have to pay a maximum of Rs 250/- .

17. Are these vaccines safe?

Ans:

Safety is the most important factor, and all standard precautions as have been followed in the past for giving vaccine approval have been followed in this case too. Both Covishield and Covaxin are safe.

18. What are the possible side-effects of COVID Vaccine?

Ans:

As is true for other vaccines, some recipients may show some side effects like mild fever, pain at the site of injection, body ache, etc. There will be arrangements at the CVCs to deal with any Covid-19 vaccine related side effects as one of the measures towards safe vaccine delivery.

19. Are there any contraindications to these COVID Vaccines?

Ans:

• The absolute contraindication to these vaccines is history of any allergy to any vaccine or its ingredients.

• Relative contraindications of the vaccines are- pregnancy, planning to get pregnant, breastfeeding.

• People who are suffering from active COVID or suspected to have COVID or received monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma for treatment of COVID-19 should not take vaccine and defer it to a later date, 4-8 weeks after recovery.

• Also, acutely unwell and hospitalized patients should not take the vaccine and defer it 4-8 weeks after recovery.

20. Are there any preventive measures and precautions that one needs to follow at the session site?

Ans:

You should rest for at least half an hour after taking the Covid-19 vaccine. Any symptoms or discomfort which may occur, must be reported to the nearest ANM or ASHA worker or any other Health Care Workers in the Health facilities.

21. After taking the vaccine, do I still need to practice COVID appropriate behavior?

Ans:

Yes, even after taking the vaccine, one should continue to practice COVID appropriate behaviours like wearing mask, washing or sanitizing hands frequently and maintaining physical distance of 6 ft