Lets take a look at two of the most popular vaccines currently available in India and see how different they are.
Covishield
Covishield has been developed by the University of Oxford and British-Swedish pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca and is reportedly 90 to 95 percent effective if the two shots are parted by around 2-3 months.
It is manufactured by Serum Institute of India in Pune.
Unlike the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines which have to be stored at ultracold temperatures as they use mRNA, Covishield is a vector vaccine that can be kept safe for 6 months in normal refrigerator temperatures.
Cost: Rs. 200/dose
Covaxin
Developed by Bharat Biotech and clinical research body Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Covaxin is an inactivated vaccine. It means that an inactivated virus is injected into a body trying to trigger an immune response. It is one of the oldest methods of vaccination.
The vaccine has been a subject for debate due to its controversial testing protocols, side effects among other ethical questions. Patients have to sign a consent form before taking the vaccine. This form states that the beneficiaries will be provided care in government authorised hospitals if they faced side-effects from the vaccine. They will also reportedly get compensated if they face adverse effects from the vaccine.
Cost: Rs. 206/dose