AEFI or Covid? Several Kolkatans jabbed and confused – Times of India

Kolkata News

Since vaccinations opened up for the above-45 age group, several Kolkatans have reported symptoms of something that can aptly be called ‘jab confusion’. And it’s happened because some of the outward signs of AEFI (adverse events following vaccination) are very similar to Covid-19’s.

KOLKATA: Since vaccinations opened up for the above-45 age group, several Kolkatans have reported symptoms of something that can aptly be called ‘jab confusion’. And it’s happened because some of the outward signs of AEFI (adverse events following vaccination) are very similar to Covid-19’s.
In a vast majority of cases, it’s AEFI, which mostly manifests itself through minor Covid-like symptoms. But there have been instances of patients getting infected post-vaccination. Either scenario could be problematic, say doctors. But most damaging could be mistaking actual Covid for AEFI, since that could mean a delay in starting Covid treatment, they say.
Take the case of a 45-year-old who reported feeling feverish and experiencing body ache just hours after taking the first dose of a vaccine. She initially thought it was AEFI, but when the symptoms had not abated after three days, and an unvaccinated family member developed Covid symptoms, she was alarmed. “We consulted a doctor, who asked us to get tested,” she told TOI. “Both reports were Covid-positive. Luckily, none needed hospital admission.”
In another instance, a 72-year-old resident of a high-rise off the Bypass developed fever three days after taking the second dose of the vaccine. He, too, tested positive later but luckily had only mild symptoms.
Senior clinical trial specialist Santanu Tripathi, former head of clinical and experimental pharmacology at School of Tropical Medicine, Kolkata, said it is quite possible that some of these people caught the virus from the vaccination booth itself. And he agreed that some AEFI and Covid symptoms overlap, “but there are ways of distinguishing between the two.”
The key distinction is the timing of the symptoms. Health experts said most of the commonest AEFIs — such as fever, malaise and bodyache — should develop within 48 hours of taking the shot. If one starts feeling any AEFI bey-ond this time-frame, it should ring an alarm bell.
“It could be the case that the person was already harbouring the virus at the time of taking the shot, but the symptoms were yet to show up, as it takes about five days for a person to manifest Covid symptoms. Therefore, it is extremely important to adhere to all Covid-19 protocol while at the vaccination centre and post -vaccination,” said Subhrojyoti Bhowmick, director, clinical research & academics, Peerless Hospitals.
According to Tripathi, the common symptoms for Covid-19 infections are malaise (extreme weakness), bodyache, headache, loss of smell and taste, cough, tightness in the chest, shortness of breath, palpitations, fever (usually >100 °F), diarrhoea and abdominal pain. These symptoms persist usually for five days or more. “On the other hand, the common AEFIs are localised injection-site pain and tenderness. In the 24 hours after getting a shot, malaise, bodyache and headache may occur in some. A few may experience fatigue and drowsiness. Fever with chills may occur in a few,” said Tripathi.
Doctors also said that it could take two to three weeks for the body to develop an immune response to the vaccine, during which they are equally susceptible to the infection.
“Some may contract the disease while queuing up for the shot. Hence, if anyone feel any overlapping symptoms that linger after the vaccination, s/he should get tested,” said immunologist Dipyaman Ganguly, a scientist at the Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata.
“We must remember that a vaccine shot does not offer instant protection,” Tripathi said. “Nor does a vaccine have an antiviral or anti-inflammatory effect. Therefore, if you contract an infection a day or two prior to after the vaccine shot, it is likely that you have Covid-19. This does not necessarily mean inefficacy of the vaccine. It also doesn’t indicate that the vaccine has caused or accelerated the infection or the disease. In fact, none of the currently available Covid vaccines carries a live virus.”

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Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/aefi-or-cov-several-kolkatans-jabbed-and-confused/articleshow/82282038.cms