All citizens 18 years & older are eligible to get vaccinated.

Yes. The safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines have been ensured via several phases of trials.

Since trials have not been conducted on pregnant women, it is not advised for them to take a vaccine shot. Women who are pregnant or not sure of their pregnancy or lactating should not receive COVID-19 vaccine at this time.

Children and adolescents (below the age of 18 are also not eligible to be vaccinated).

You can register via CoWIN Website (www.cowin.gov.in), Aarogya Setu App and Umang App.

Walk-in/spot registration may be available for corporates.

Register using mobile number and Aadhaar number. Follow the simple steps as guided by the website. Register, and choose your Vaccination Centre via Pincode/District. You would get an SMS confirmation.

A photo ID is mandatory for registration and verification at the vaccination site to ensure that the relevant person gets the vaccination.

Yes, it is recommended to receive the entire schedule of the COVID-19 vaccine irrespective of COVID-19 infection history. This will develop strong immunity against the virus.

A confirmed or suspected COVID-19 positive person may intensify the spreading risk of the virus to other people at the vaccination site. Hence, infected people must postpone vaccination for 3 months after being symptom-free.

If you are a high-risk candidate, as shown by the Arogya Setu app, you should not opt for vaccination. Also, If you are showing any symptoms, do not get vaccinated.

Individuals with one or more co-morbidities are considered as high-risk category. They should take COVID-19 vaccination after consulting their doctor. If you have any above mentioned comorbid condition, please carry a doctor’s prescription citing fit for vaccination.

At present, COVISHIELD (Oxford-AstraZeneca Vaccine) and COVAXIN (Bharat Biotech) would be available. In due course, SPUTNIK-V Vaccine and other vaccines will also be available.

Two vaccination doses. The time interval between two doses of the Covishield vaccine has been extended from four-six weeks to twelve-sixteen weeks, while the second dose of Covaxin can be taken four -six weeks after the first dose. Beneficiaries are requested to check the latest government guidelines before going for the second dose of the vaccination.

One should rest at the vaccination site for at least half an hour after getting COVID-19 vaccine. Any discomfort or uneasiness should be reported to the healthcare worker.

You are observed for 30 minutes after receiving the dose, for any serious or severe effects, and even though they are rare to occur, there is definite treatment for each such serious effect. COVID-19 vaccine can result in mild side effects after the first or second dose, such as:

• Pain, inflammation, or redness at the site of injection
• Headache
• Tiredness
• Joint pain and muscle pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• Inflammation in the lymph nodes

Most of these symptoms resolve within 2-3 days.

Yes. You will receive an SMS on the registered mobile number after getting the due COVID-19 vaccine doses. A QR code-based certificate will be shared on your registered mobile number after getting all the vaccine doses.

It is not recommended to take pain killers before COVID-19 vaccination. However, you can take such medication after COVID-19 vaccination, unless prescribed by your physician. You can also seek advice from the nurse administering the vaccine on what medications can be taken and what cannot.

Both the vaccines – Covishield and Covaxin are effective, as proven by trials.

Protective antibody levels are generally developed after two weeks of receiving the 2nd dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

The COVID-19 vaccine develops an immune response against the COVID-19, thereby reducing the risk of developing the disease. Vaccination also guards people around you.

It is recommended to continue taking all the safety measures even after getting vaccinated for the COVID-19.

No. The COVID-19 vaccines are free from any live virus. The currently available two vaccines are prepared from a small RNA piece (free from virus). It helps in activating a person’s immune cells to manufacture antibodies against the viral spike protein, signifying that if or when a person gets exposed to the virus, he or she will already have defensive antibodies in their system

There is no scientific evidence that COVID-19 vaccine causes infertility in men or women.

Yes, you can. Kindly do not believe the hoaxes and rumours regarding the same.

Before licensing, the Drug regulatory agency of the country ensures the safety and efficacy of the vaccine. Hence, the available COVID-19 vaccines have comparable safety and efficacy. It should be ensured that the individual should follow the complete schedule of a specific vaccine.

The vaccination is given as an intramuscular injection, preferably in the deltoid muscle.

You must share the below information with the healthcare provider before receiving COVID-19 vaccine:

• If you have a fever
• If you have received another COVID-19 vaccine
• If you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding
• If you are immunocompromised or on medicine which may impact your immune system
• If you have a bleeding disorder
• If you have a severe allergic reaction after any food, vaccine, drug

Alcohol consumption may compromise the response of the immune system. Thus, it is suggested to not consume alcohol for a few days of vaccination.

COVID-19 affects all age groups; however, morbidity & mortality is several times higher in adults particularly in those above the age of 50 years. Children have either asymptomatic or mild infection. The general practice is to first evaluate any new vaccine in older population and then age reduction is done to assess the safety and effectiveness in paediatric population. The currently available vaccines have not been evaluated in children so far. There are some clinical trials now underway to test the effectiveness and safety of the COVID-19 vaccines in children.

Most such reports are of healthcare professionals, who, by nature of their work, are always at high risk to contract the infection. First of all, the rate of infection after vaccination is much lower than the unvaccinated. And, even if such an infection occurs, by virtue of the vaccination, the body has a good titre of antibodies to limit the infection to a mild stage, thereby reducing the chance of progressing to severe COVID-19. Therefore, vaccines are useful, life-saving and effective!

People who get infected with the virus between COVID-19 vaccine shots can get their second dose 3 months after they’ve recovered from the illness and are no longer considered contagious.

Both are equally efficacious in preventing mild, moderate and severe COVID-19. Choose whatever is available to you.

Yes. No one is safe from COVID-19, not even the fittest and healthiest of individuals. Better safe, than sorry.

Yes. You should receive the vaccine three months after testing COVID-19 Positive. Recent studies show that reinfection rates can be 1 in 5, and therefore vaccination is the only sure shot path to develop long-lasting immunity.