Tips To Ensure A Smooth Covid-19 Vaccination Process for Seniors

Planning to take the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine? Here’s all you must know before it. 

India has begun its second phase of Covid-19 vaccination rollout from March 1 for regular citizens targeting older adults. In the last 10 days, over 24.4 million doses of vaccines have been administered across the country and 4.36 million Indians have been already completely vaccinated. While Indian seniors have started registering and queuing up for a jab at the vaccination centres many are still facing issues and have a lot of queries around it. Here is a collated list of tips to help seniors go through a hassle-free vaccination process.

Tips one must be aware of

• In order to get yourself vaccinated, prior registration is mandatory. You can register on https://www.aarogyasetu.gov.in/ or https://www.cowin.gov.in/home using a government recognised identity card.
• Please take the help of a family member or friend for scheduling an appointment if you are not comfortable with online processes.
• You will have to take two doses of the vaccine. Make sure to take the second dose after 28 days of the first.
• Vaccination at the government centre is free. If you choose a private hospital, you will be charged Rs 250.
• Do not forget to take your Registration Number/Beneficiaries Number ( the number you receive on your phone once you have registered) when you visit the vaccination centre.
• Please do wear a mask and go. Before vaccinating, they will check your temperature, oxygen and will sanitise your hands at the centre.
• Keep any health or co-morbidity details ready.
• You might be given a token at the vaccination centre. Although the vaccination process takes only five minutes, prior and post-vaccination time is required.
• Be prepared for a long queue. Please carry a water bottle, biscuits, personal medicines, hand towel, tissue paper as it may be time-consuming. Please do maintain social distancing.
• There is no need to hurry or rush. Everyone will get vaccinated when their turn comes. Remain calm and relaxed. It is good to take a family member or a caregiver along for any kind of support.
• When you enter the vaccination room or just before it they will register you. You will have to fill in your details online and take a photo and your government id card will be asked for.
• At the time of vaccination, the nurse will tell you about the vaccine, why it is given, its uses and its name. If not, please do ask for these details and name.
• After vaccination, you will be asked to sit under observation for 30 minutes. That is because if you show up signs of any after effects, you will be treated there.
• After mandatory 30 minutes observation, you will be given medicines in case of any side effects like fever, pain and more.
• You may get the vaccination certificate there or you can download the same from the aforementioned websites.
• When you leave the vaccination centre, make sure to take the contact of the in-charge or someone whom you can reach in case you develop any symptoms of side effects at home.

For those with some specific conditions

• For a person with Dementia or Mental health, do take along medical papers, inform the health officers regarding same, do not hide mental health issue, a family member or caregiver should not leave them alone anytime.
• In case a person has allergies to medication or drugs, it is important to inform the same to the health officer at the centre or take clearance from your doctor to get an all-clear from a medical practitioner.
• For a person between 45 years to 59 age group with co-morbidity, remember to take a certificate from an approved doctor and reference medical report.
• Dementia and mental illness can be covered in co-morbidity with a letter from the doctor.

“While it takes hardly a few minutes to get vaccinated, the whole procedure may require around 5 to 6 hours. Also, I did not experience any pain or any side effects immediately after the vaccination but after around 10 to 12 hours, I developed a painful lump around the site of the injection, had a mild temperature, felt a little dizzy and very weak which lasted for the next two days. Overall it went well and I am all set for my second dose after 28 days,” says 53-year-old Mousumi Chatterjee from Bengal who has recently taken her first jab.

Common side-effects that you may develop after the first jab include injection site pain, injection site swelling, injection site redness, injection site itching, stiffness in the upper arm, weakness in the injection arm, body ache, headache, fever, malaise, weakness, rashes, nausea, and vomiting.

Difficulty in breathing, swelling of your face and throat, a fast heartbeat, rash all over your body, and dizziness and weakness could be some of the severe allergies post-vaccination, but the chances are very rare for these.