India’s plans to identify and report side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine are as follows:

Like the rest of the world, India is trying to accelerate its rollout as the COVID-19 vaccine becomes available.

Most of the vaccine candidates are still in clinical trials or have just completed them. Vaccine manufacturers such as Pfizer, Moderna, and Serum Institute are obtaining urgent permits for vaccines for use in front-line healthcare professionals.

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Vaccine makers guarantee the efficiency and safety of their drugs, but their long-term side effects, if any, will appear later.

Instructions given to states and UT

With this in mind, the Union Department of Health has instructed states and Union Territories to take the necessary steps to address post-vaccination adverse event (AEFI) monitoring after Covid-19 vaccination. ..

In a letter to all state and UT national health mission directors, a senior health ministry official said, “Starting with specific priority groups, preparations are underway to implement COVID-19 vaccination in the states and districts. Measures must be taken to enhance post-immunization adverse event (AEFI) monitoring after Covid-19 vaccination to maintain confidence in vaccine safety. “

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“The Union Department of Health has identified essential initiatives to further strengthen India’s existing AEFI surveillance system, which will enable timely and complete AEFI reporting on Covid-19 vaccination. The initiative will be implemented early and the necessary changes will be made appropriately, before the COVID-19 vaccine is introduced in the state or district. “

The central government has pointed out important initiatives to strengthen the AEFI surveillance system for Covid-19 vaccination.

Key pointer:

The Ministry of Health has requested state and UT to include medical professionals in addition to pediatricians to the state and district AEFI committees.

“Covid-19 vaccination is given to adults, many of whom may have comorbidities. Events due to existing comorbidities (stroke, heart attack, etc.) are reported as AEFI after Covid-19 vaccination. Members of the state’s AEFI Commission may be revised to include neurologists, cardiologists, and respiratory physicians who are aware of such events and can distinguish them from vaccine / vaccination-related events. Similarly, the district may be instructed to include medical professionals (neurologists, cardiologists) in the district AEFI committee. “Note the letter.

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Each state selects a medical college that will act as the state’s AFEI technical cooperation center in conducting rapid causal assessments, district case studies, and laboratory tests in specific cases to determine the cause of AEFI. is needed.

In addition, expert training from the state’s AEFI Commission and AEFI Technical Cooperation Center is required for investigation and causal assessment.

The state asked to hire an AEFI consultant

As COVID-19 vaccination spreads, increased sensitization will increase AEFI reports, so the Ministry of Health has requested the state to hire a state AEFI consultant.

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The Ministry of Health also announced that there are approximately 300 medical colleges and tertiary care hospitals nationwide, as well as a side effect monitoring center that reports adverse events of the vaccine along with other side effects.

“DIO needs to contact such AMC and request that they report serious and unfavorable AEFI directly,” he said.

The government has instructed the state to ensure the involvement of drug inspectors in the investigation in the district.

“The district drug inspector is a member of the district AEFI committee and must be involved in the AEFI investigation if necessary,” the letter said.

The central government said the district needs to make sure that it has sufficient stock of injectable adrenaline for the next few months for use with anaphylactic children and AEFI management kits.

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“It is important to note that adrenaline has a short expiration date, and it is also important that all vaccinated persons temporarily include high employment for routine immunization and routine immunization. COVID-19 vaccination You need to be trained in using the anaphylaxis kit. “

District Vaccination Officers (DIOs) should initiate training and sensitization meetings for healthcare professionals in public and medical facilities to immediately report serious and severe AEFI.

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“To focus on sensitization, we need to include post-vaccination AEFI for adults. COVID-19 Vaccination will start. Data entry operators in DIO’s offices need to focus on SAFEVAC, AEFI’s online reporting software, “the letter said.

The district needs to develop a communication plan to manage rumors and myths about vaccine safety and crisis situations after serious AEFI. It said that important messages for managing crisis situations, myths and rumors may be prepared in advance.