COVID 19: Before going for the second dose, here are things that you should know

The COVID-19 virus has changed the world and our lifestyle. While restricting our outdoor venturing, has also made us health-conscious and aware. The COVID-19 vaccine has surely come as a glimmer of hope in these trying times. The two widely available vaccines in India include Covishield that has been developed by the Oxford-AstraZeneca and Covaxin that has been developed by Bharat Biotech International Ltd in association with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Institute of Virology (NIV)

Both these vaccines require two doses, to protect the person against the COVID-19 virus by developing antibodies. Most people have got their first dose of the vaccine.

Before going for the second dose, here are some things that you should know about.

1. After getting your first dose of the vaccine, you may have experienced side effects such as fever, soreness, body ache, headache, etc. It is said that you may experience stronger side effects after the second dose.

2. The side effects after getting the second dose will most probably resolve within 24-72 hours. It is advised that you should take plenty of rest, take paracetamol in case of fever and drink plenty of fluids to effectively deal with the side effects.

3. Don't immediately venture out or roam around without a mask, after getting the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine takes around two weeks to build protection against the virus. During these two weeks, it is said that the immunity of the person is relatively low as the body gets busy making antibodies.

4. So continue to follow the protocols and safety strategies including maintaining social distancing, wearing a mask and practising good hand hygiene to effectively protect yourself against the COVID-19 virus.

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