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What has happened?
- Data provided by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has revealed that out of the 61,54,894 healthcare workers vaccinated against COVID-19, only 97,732 beneficiaries have been given the second dose so far.
- As of February 13, only 7,668 out of the over 1,91,000 healthcare workers who had received their first COVID-19 vaccine shot on January 16,
- The first day of India’s vaccination drive – turned up for the second dose of the vaccine.
- Indiastarted administering the second shot of the Covid-19 vaccine to health care workers from Saturday, 28 days after the first jab.
What could be the reason?
- Reacting on the extremely poor turnout, Sunela Garg, member of the COVID-19 task force in Delhi and advisor to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), said
- One of the reasons could be hesitancy built after experiencing adverse reactions following the first dose.
- “Many have reported adverse reactions following immunisation.
- While it is natural to experience them post vaccination, the impacts they had made the beneficiaries hesitant to go for the second round of inoculation.“
- Garg said follow-up with such beneficiaries and motivation will eventually help in drawing them back to the vaccination booths.
But is it a cause of concern?
- Most in the medical fraternity say it isn’t.
- Dr Naresh Trehan, the chairman, managing director and chief cardiac surgeon of Medanta -The Medicity, who took the second jab on Monday said,
- “Whenever a doctor is being scheduled for a vaccine session they are taking it. Certain international studies say that results are better if you delay the second jab.”
- “Still, there is an issue of not being fully protected and having an incomplete exposure to the virus till the time you take the second jab.
- Vaccine immunity will only begin two weeks after you take the second jab.”
- According to Dr Pragya Shukla, head of Delhi Cancer State Institute hospital in East Delhi,
- Most health care workers did not know that they were supposed to get the second jab on Saturday because they did not receive a message from the CoWin app.
- “The number of health care workers who received the calls and messages was less as compared to the ones who got the message on January 16.
- So, it is not that they didn’t turn up for the second jab,” Dr Pragya Shukla said.
What should be the gap b/w 1st & 2nd dose?
- The two coronavirus vaccines that have been cleared for emergency use in India – Covishield and Covaxin – Need the second dose to be administered within 28 days of receiving the first.
- However, the Drug Controller General of India (DGCI) has accorded a window of 4 weeks to 6 weeks for the second dose.
- “Even if the second dose of the vaccine is delayed, it can be taken within 1-2 weeks after 28-day
- This will certainly not decrease the efficacy of the vaccine. Currently, there is no evidence or study to show that delaying the second shot leads to a reduction in the efficacy of the vaccine,”
- Dr Sanjay Rai, lead investigator, COVAXIN trials at AIIMS New Delhi
- The WHO recommends that Oxford-Astra Zenaca vaccine be taken after than interval of 8-12 weeks apart for improved efficacy against the Covid-19 disease.
What is the current progress?
- More than 60% of healthcare workers in India have received the first dose of covid-19 vaccine so far, the government said on Tuesday.
- India has administered more than 87.40 lakh covid-19 vaccine doses as on date, Of the total doses, more than 62.8 lakh healthcare workers.
- Out of these, more than 1.7 lakh healthcare workers have also received the second dose of the covid-19 vaccine,
- Which forms 37.5% of the eligible beneficiaries who have already received the first dose.
Conclusion
- If people continue to skip the second dose of the coronavirus vaccine it could lead to worrisome results.
- India has been seeing a steady decline in the number of daily coronavirus cases being reported.
- Since October 1, 2020, India has seen an unabated decline in Case Fatality Rate.
- The Case Fatality Rate today stands below 1.5%, it could get upturned if the vaccination drive remains incomplete.
Q) Which vaccine is given soon after birth of a child?
- Measles, mumps & rubella (MMR)
- Polio
- Hepatitis B
- Varicella
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