Covaxin adverse side effects in 30% sample, reveals BHU study -

Spread the love

Covaxin vaccine caused serious side effects in 30 per cent sample, says BHU study

By Our Special Correspondent

New Delhi, May 16: A year-long study has found almost 30 per cent of the sample reporting adverse events after taking the Covaxin vaccines. The study done at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) found adverse events such as respiratory tract infections and even nervous disorder.

The study was done in the course of one year. The study was led by Dr Sankha Shubhra Chakrabarty. The sample size consisted of 1024 vaccine recipients.

The revelation has come close on the heels of the AstraZeneca admitting in a UK court that the Covid-19 vaccine Covishield had caused serious side effects in some of the recipients. The pharma giant has since withdrawn the Covishield vaccine.

“Out of 1024 individuals enrolled, 635 adolescents and 291 adults could be contacted during the 1-year follow-up. Viral upper respiratory tract infections were reported by 304 (47.9%) adolescents and 124 (42.6%) adults in this period,” the study outcome was quoted by the journal Springer.

The study also revealed that the Covaxin vaccine recipients reported “new-onset skin and subcutaneous disorders (10.5%), general disorders (10.2%), and nervous system disorders (4.7%)”. The study listed the common AESIs (Adverse events of serious interests) in adolescents.

“General disorders (8.9%), musculoskeletal disorders (5.8%), and nervous system disorders (5.5%) were the common AESIs in adults. Menstrual abnormalities were noticed in 4.6% of female participants,” added Springer while reporting on the outcome of the study.

It further stated that “Ocular abnormalities and hypothyroidism were observed in 2.7% and 0.6% of participants, respectively. Among serious AESIs (1%), stroke and Guillain–Barre syndrome were identified in 0.3% and 0.1% of participants, respectively.”

The journal also stated that “among adolescents, female individuals, those with a history of allergy and post-vaccination typhoid were respectively at 1.6, 2.8, and 2.8 times higher risk of AESIs”. The majority of the AESIs persisted at the 1-year follow-up, it added.

The study was quoted by the journal saying that “female individuals, adolescents with pre-vaccination COVID-19, those with co-morbidities, and those with post-vaccination typhoid had respectively 1.6, 2, 2.7, and 3.2 times higher odds of persistent AESIs”.

Adults with co-morbidities had more than 2 times higher odds of AESIs and persistent AESIs, added the journal.

India had administered either Covishield or Covaxin as part of the vaccination drive against the Covid-19 pandemic. While the vaccines were voluntary, the people had to take the doses as certificates were made mandatory at office place, schools, educational institutions, travel facilities such as airlines and the railways, besides accessing the public places.