Bengaluru healthcare workers wary of taking Covid-19 vaccine

Hospitals in Bengaluru will conduct a survey of their healthcare workers to determine if they’re comfortable taking the Covid vaccine.

The decision comes amid allegations and speculations of adverse reactions caused by the Covid-19 vaccination and the absence of data on Phase 3 clinical trial in Indian population. More than 1.68 lakh healthcare workers are on the priority list for the Covid vaccination in BBMP limits.

On January 3, India approved the AstraZeneca-Oxford University vaccine (Covishield) and another developed by pharmaceutical company Bharat Biotech (Covaxin) for emergency use.

BBMP officials visited Ramaiah and Suguna hospitals last week, asking them to identify three rooms for vaccination and ensure the immunisation of at least 100 healthcare workers per day from 8 am to 5 pm.

Ramaiah hospital authorities said many of their healthcare workers were reluctant to get vaccinated.

Dr Naresh Shetty, president, MS Ramaiah Hospital, said: “We have more than 3,000 healthcare and frontline workers, including housekeeping staff. As an institutional policy, we want to protect everyone as they’re on the frontline and we don’t want to take chances.”

Healthcare workers’ apprehension stems from the fact that both the vaccines have received only an emergency use authorisation and have not completed the mandatory Phase 3 trial in India.

“Being an institution that does clinical research, we do a lot of multinational drug trials and know how a trial goes. Until one has a Phase 3 trial completely done in different locations and involves all genders, age groups, co-morbidities like diabetes and hypertension, etc, and how they respond to each of this, we will not have a true answer for everyone,” Shetty explained.

An African may respond differently than a European or an Indian. A lot of people don’t know if they’re going to be volunteers in a trial or if they’re being assured the protection of a vaccine.

“A lot of people may back out at the last minute. We’re doing a study on how many people don’t want to take it and the reasons behind it. Many are doctors and they should be able to explain their apprehensions. We cannot mandate the vaccination,” he added.

Healthcare workers at Suguna Hospital are also apprehensive. Dr Rekha G, the medical superintendent of Suguna Hospital, said: “Nobody is volunteering to go first. They want others to take it first. They’re thinking, raising queries and asking around. We’re planning to do a survey and get their consent individually before the vaccination happens. The BBMP has already approached us for three rooms for vaccination.”

Pushpa M C, nursing superintendent, Suguna Hospital, said the 90 nurses working under her supervision were not very confident in the current circumstances. Sixty-five of the nurses are women. “I work in the Covid ward and I haven’t hugged my 12-year-old daughter since March. I live on the first floor while my husband, daughter and mother-in-law live on the ground floor. We cannot handle adverse reactions after the vaccination,” she said.

Dr Ravindra Ramaiah, Medical Director, Suguna Hospital, said: “Our doctors have been discussing this. There is a lot of confusion. It’s voluntary. I suspect some of our doctors are not going to take it. In my personal opinion, I might refuse Covaxin as there’s no data. I’m sceptical. At least some data from other countries is available for Covishield.”

Dr Ravindra Mehta, Pulmonologist, Apollo Hospital, Jayanagar, said: “Covishield has gone through a trial and passed the regulator somewhere in the world, and has also published in an eminent journal. But with Bharat Biotech, though the company said it has published the data in five publications, we cannot find anything anywhere. In my personal opinion, we’re leaning towards Covishield over Covaxin. We’re healthcare workers and don’t care about the politics, we just need data.”

Who’ll be vaccinated first?

No of healthcare workers shortlisted for Covid vaccination in Bengaluru
1,68,647

Narayana Health Group: 6,828

MS Ramaiah Group: 3,000

Apollo, Bannerghatta Road: 1,790

Apollo, Mysuru: 1,100

Apollo, Seshadripuram: 735

Apollo, Jayanagar: 678

Suguna Hospital: 507