The Indian government has opened the next phase of Covid-19 vaccination. All citizens above the age of 18 can get vaccinated now. Citizens can go to

http://www.cowin.gov.in

to register themselves or via the Aarogya Setu app, which has CoWIN app integration. There is no CoWIN app on Play Store for registration as the app is for administrators only. Slots nearby to get vaccinated are subject to availability, which is proving to be a challenge at the moment.

The vaccines produce protection against the COVID-19 disease, as a result of developing an immune response to the SARS-Cov-2 virus. Developing immunity through vaccination means there is a reduced risk of developing the illness and its consequences. This immunity helps you fight the virus if exposed. Getting vaccinated may also protect people around you because if you are protected from getting infected and from disease, you are less likely to infect someone else. This is particularly important to protect people at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19, such as healthcare providers, older or elderly adults, and people with other medical conditions.

The COVID-19 vaccines are safe for most people 18 years and older, including those with pre-existing conditions of any kind, including auto-immune disorders. These conditions include hypertension, diabetes, asthma, pulmonary, liver and kidney disease, as well as chronic infections that are stable and controlled. If supplies are limited in your area, discuss your situation with your care provider if you:
• Have a compromised immune system
• Are pregnant or nursing your baby
• Have a history of severe allergies, particularly to a vaccine (or any of the ingredients in the vaccine)

The COVID-19 vaccines are expected to provide at least some protection against virus variants and are effective at preventing serious illness and death. That’s because these vaccines create a broad immune response, and any virus changes or mutations should not make vaccines completely ineffective. If any of these vaccines become less effective against one or more variants, it will be possible to change the composition of the vaccines to protect against these variants. Data continues to be collected and analysed on new variants of the COVID-19 virus.