Everything You Need To Know Before Getting Your COVID-19 Vaccine

This post has been reviewed by Dr. Animesh Banerjee, MBBS, MS,FRCSI,FRCS(ORL-HNS)

Hello! You are reading this because you signed up to get your Covid-19 vaccine at the Even X Narayana vaccination centre. Congrats, you’ve just made the best decision for your health! 

With the hard part of getting a vaccination slot out of the way, you’re now probably wondering what you need to do to prepare. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. The Even team has put together a guide covering everything you need to know about preparing for the vaccine, the vaccination process, and what happens next. 

If you at any point feel you need more explanation on the subject, please reach out to us on email at hello@even.in.

Happy reading!

Who are we? 

Even is a healthtech startup that partners directly with hospitals to offer its members unlimited OPD and diagnostics, 50 lakh hospital cover and Covid-19 cover for a small monthly subscription. 

Narayana Health is the leading chain of multi-speciality hospitals, heart centres, and primary care facilities spread across India. 

Location

You will receive your vaccine doses in our Office in Indiranagar. Our full address is: 

Now that we have admin out the way, let’s dive into the important stuff! 

Contents: 

  1. What vaccine am I getting with Even? 
  2. Can I get the vaccine if….? 
  3. How do I prepare for the vaccine? 
  4. What will the vaccination process look like? 

What vaccine am I getting with Even?

Even is administering Covishield vaccine.

Covishield is the vaccine produced by AstraZeneca and researchers at the University of Oxford. The vaccine has been approved by drug and medical authorities all over the globe including the UK and the US.  Here is the full factsheet about the vaccine written by the Serum Institute of India. Inside includes detailed information on the ingredients list, please make sure to check whether you carry an allergy to any of the listed ingredients. If you are, you will need to inform us immediately at hello@even.in.

All vaccines are proven to be highly effective at protecting against Covid-19 and have been administered in the millions across the world. While it’s normal to have preferences, we suggest that you take the vaccine that you are allotted, rather than wait for another vaccine type to come along later. Covishield has gone through rigorous testing to ensure that it is effective and safe! 

The cost

We provide the vaccines AT COST, meaning that we only charge for the price of the vaccine and very small administration costs. Even will not be making any profit from this. The cost for the Covishield vaccine is ₹750.

Can I get the vaccine if…?

A question that is often asked is: 

‘Can I get a vaccine if…….’. 

We have tried to answer commonly asked questions that may crop up in your mind before getting a vaccine. If you have concerns over something that is not on the list, please reach out to us at help@even.in and we will get back to you as soon as possible. 

You can ALWAYS get the vaccine if you: 

  • Are on your period
  • Have already had coronavirus but it has been at least 1 month since your symptoms
  • Above the age of 18
  • Have recently donated blood/plasma
  • If you have any comorbidities/pre-existing conditions 
  • If you live with someone vulnerable

Please consult a doctor before getting the vaccine if you have: 

  • were covid positive less than a month ago
  • are pregnant or are trying to conceive
  • are breastfeeding
  • recently had surgery
  • susceptible to blood clots e.g. take the contraceptive pill, have had a stroke before
  • have symptoms of coronavirus: 
    • fever
    • sore, dry throat
    • lost sense of taste and smell
  • currently have cancer  
  • if you have ever had a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) after any drug, food, any vaccine or any ingredients of the vaccine
  • if you are immunocompromised or are on a medicine that affects your immune system

If any of the above situations apply to you, please consult a doctor before getting a vaccine. If the doctor confirms that you can take the vaccine, then let us know which condition applies to you so that we can monitor you after your dose.

Please don’t get the vaccine if: 

  • Your first vaccine shot was of a different brand e.g. Covaxin

Right now, there is no scientific evidence to suggest that mixing and matching vaccines work. Play it safe and stick to one vaccine type only. 

  • Already had two doses of any vaccine

Once you have had two vaccine doses, you are officially ‘fully vaccinated’. An extra dose won’t add more protection. No more needles- lucky you!

How do I prepare for the vaccine?

There are only three things that you need to do prior to getting your vaccine dose. 

  1. Register online via our booking form: even.in/vaccine

Since you are reading this guide, it is likely that you have already done this. It is an absolute must in order to get the vaccine. If you turn up to the centre without having registered, we sadly won’t be able to give you a dose. Which would not be fun. So if you haven’t registered yet, here’s your urgent reminder!

  1. Fill in our booking form. After you’ve registered, we will send a more detailed booking form for you to fill out your personal details. These include but are not limited to: 
    1. Govt ID and number 
    2. CoWIN reference ID
    3. DOB 
    4. Address 
    5. Gender 
    6. Contact details (phone number and email address)
    7. Whether this your first or second vaccine (all second doses MUST follow govt guidelines to be at least 84 days after the first dose)

Once you fill these details in, your vaccine slot will be confirmed. 

  1. Get your documents in order

The official government stance requires you to bring at least one of the following documents to your vaccination appointment: 

  • Adhaar card 
  • Passport

You will also need to produce your coWIN reference ID.

If you don’t have either your passport or your adhaar card, we won’t be able to vaccinate you. Set your reminder as soon as you get your timeslot! 

Other than those listed above, nothing else is required! That means there is:  

  • No need to fast
  • No need to take an antibody test
  • No need to self-isolate from your household (unless one of them is showing covid symptoms).

Just turn up to our office with your documents and get your shot 😁  

What will the vaccine process look like?

  1. Arrival

Your vaccination will happen at our office in Indiranagar, Bangalore. The full address is given below: 

When you arrive, we will request you to sanitise your hand and check your temperature. Assuming that your temperature is normal, you can come in and register for your slot. 

  1. Registration

As soon as you enter, you’ll need to do a (very quick) registration. Don’t worry, it’s not to re-enter all those details you gave us online. We will just need to check whether your photo ID matches the details given and maybe a couple of details that we haven’t yet collected. 

  1. Vaccination

Your vaccine will be given by medical professionals trained and licensed by the govt. of India. The vaccination will be injected into your arm. It may hurt a little, but we promise, it will be worth it. 

  1. Post vaccine

After the vaccine, you will need to wait for around 15 minutes. This is the time it usually takes for any severe allergic reactions to show up, and so we feel it’s better to have you on-site just in case. Assuming that you are okay, you will be able to leave once those 15 mins are up! 

  1. Repeat! 

In 84 days repeat the whole process again for your second dose! After this, you’re done! 

So there you have it! All the information you need before your vaccination dose. We wish you all the best with your shot!

Once you’ve had your dose, be sure to check our our post vaccination guide to understand what to expect after you’ve had your vaccine.

Design credit: Sanjana Hegde