46,197 people have been inoculated against coronavirus since the first phase of vaccination began on Wednesday.
KATHMANDU, JANUARY 29
Health practitioners, who have been inoculated against the coronavirus infection, have shown side-effects, such as dizziness, pain and swelling in the injected area, fever, and chills.
According to Anup Bastola, chief consultant, tropical medicine, at Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital, of the 29 health workers - 18 males and 11 females - working in the hospital's intensive care unit and emergency and COVID wards, 23 showed side-effects within eight hours of taking the jab.
According to Bastola, 25 per cent experienced pain at the injected site, 18 per cent developed chills, 17 per cent had headache, 14 per cent had myalgia (muscle pain), 11 per cent had fever, 11 per cent had dizziness, and four per cent complained of swelling at the injected site, shortness of breath, vomiting or erythema (redness of skin).
"I have pain in my left arm where I got the shot. Though I am able to do my daily activities, a mild pain persists.
I started feeling the pain some eight hours after I got the shot," Bastola told THT.
"Though people experienced side-effects, none required hospitalisation," he added.
According to Bastola, six of those inoculated complained of at least one side-effect, six showed two side-effects, three showed three side-effects, whereas one of those who got vaccinated for COV- ID complained of eight side-effects.
"These are minor side-effects and no reason to avoid vaccination."
However, the government should conduct a survey about the side-effects shown by those vaccinated," Bastola said.
According to the Ministry of Health and Population, 46,197 people have been inoculated against coronavirus since the first phase of vaccination began on Wednesday.
As many as 7,369 people have been vaccinated in Province 1, 4,650 in Province 2, 15,641 in Bagmati, 7,153 in Gandaki, 4,635 in Lumbini, 2,966 in Karnali, and 3,783 in Sudurpaschim.
The government plans to give the first dose of AstraZeneca's Covishield vaccine to 430,000 people by February 5.
