The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on 25 June dispelled rumours that COVID vaccines cause infertility, saying that most of the people who receive the shots do not face any side-effects post-inoculation, but it does not mean that the jabs are not effective.

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COVID vaccines do not cause infertility, the ministry said in a statement. "At least six different types of COVID -19 vaccines will be available in India soon. We expect to procure 30-35 crore doses in a month to be able to vaccinate 1 crore, persons, in a day," the ministry said. N.K. Arora, Chairman, National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation in India (NTAGI), said: "When the polio vaccine came and was being administered in India and other parts of the world, this sort of a rumour had spread at that time too. At that time, misinformation was created that children who are getting the polio vaccine may face infertility in the future. "This sort of wrong information is spread by the anti-vaccine lobby. We should know that all vaccines go through intense scientific researches".

"None of the vaccines has this sort of a side-effect. I would like to fully assure everyone that this sort of propaganda only misguides people. Our main intention is to save ourselves, our families and the society from coronavirus", he added. Arora further said that if the efficacy of a vaccine is 80 per cent, 20 per cent of the vaccinated people may contract mild COVID. The vaccines available in India are capable of reducing the spread of the virus. If 60-70 per cent of people are vaccinated, the spread of the virus can be checked, Arora said.

He said that as far as side effects are concerned, all vaccines have mild side effects. This includes mild fever, fatigue, pain in the injection site, for a day or two. It does not cause any serious problems. Most people do not face any side-effect after COVID vaccination, but it does not mean that vaccines are not efficient. Only 20-30 per cent of people are going to experience fever after vaccination. Some people may get fever after the first dose and not have any fever after the second dose and vice-versa. It varies from person to person and it is highly unpredictable, experts said.