Doctors had informed that antibodies develop 14 days after second dose, says Haryana minister Anil Vij

File image of Haryana minister and BJP leader Anil Vij

Haryana Minister Anil Vij, who was part of the Covaxin third phase trial and on December 5 announced that he has tested COVID positive, said doctors had informed him about the timelines of the vaccine.

Speaking to PTI, Vij said experts “would know better about how the vaccine works.”

“I was told that antibodies start to develop after the second dose, which is administered after 28 days of getting the first shot. And full antibodies are developed 14 days after the second dose is given. So, the complete cycle takes 42 days. In between there is no protection,” he said.

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Vij told the agency that he has a sore throat, fever and body ache, “but overall I am okay.”

Also Health Minister of Haryana, Vij is a senior leader of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and a legislator from Ambala Cantt assembly constituency.

Also Read: Explained | Why Haryana Minister Anil Vij Who Volunteered For Bharat Biotech's COVID Vaccine Trial Tested Positive?

On how he contracted the virus, Vij said he had visited with another BJP leader in Panipat for two to three hours “a few days ago”. That BJP leader tested positive for COVID-19 first. "Later, I got myself tested, but the first test returned negative. After some symptoms showed up, the second test was done which was positive today (December 5),” he said.

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Vij also posted on Twitter about being in the know about the antibodies’ timeline, adding that he contracted the virus “despite taking all precautions.” (translation)

मुझे कोवेक्सिन लगाने से पहले डॉक्टरों ने बता दिया था कि वेक्सिन दूसरी डोज 28 दिन के बाद लगने के 14 दिन बाद ही अन्टोबोडी बनेगी । पूरी एहतियात बरतने के बाद भी मैंकरना के काबू आगया । मेरा सिविल हस्पताल में इलाज हो रहा है ओर मैं ठीक महसूस कर रहा हूँ ।

— ANIL VIJ MINISTER HARYANA (@anilvijminister) December 6, 2020

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(With inputs from PTI)