Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, May 19: Chairman of Covid advisory committee Dr M S Khuroo Wednesday said that the vaccine is a must to achieve herd immunity and to reduce the effect of infection of the prevailing second wave.
Khuroo said that people of J&K showed hesitancy when vaccines were available in abundance but now when there is vaccine shortage people have started to take interest in vaccination.
“However, authorities must make vaccines available again and start immunization at the earliest,” he said.
Khuroo said that to fight pandemic and decrease infection, there are only two ways that is vaccination and following Covid appropriate behaviour.
“The more people we will vaccinate, the infection rate will decrease and people must be given both doses of vaccine on time,” he said.
Khuroo said that in some vaccines like Moderna and F Pfizer vaccines have 95 percent efficacy, however, the vaccines like Covaxin and Covishield have 70 to 90 percent efficacy.
He said that vaccines can’t kill and chances of defect in platelets and clot is very rare and it can be one case in one million.
“Clots due to vaccines have been seen mainly among ladies of 18-40 and there are little chances in male and elderly people,” Khuroo said.
“All above 18 must take vaccines, however those persons having allergy with any component of vaccines, pregnant ladies should not take vaccines as of now and patients suffering from cancer, HIV, advanced liver disease must consultant doctors before taking the jab as vaccines in them won’t be so effective as it will have effect on normal person,” he said.
Khuroo said that Indian and UK variants are prevalent and though the vaccine will be effective for other variants, it will largely make an impact on the parent virus.
Khuroo said that Mucormycosis can affect people with weak immune systems, or have undergone transplant surgery, or are on steroid drugs for a long time.
“The first wave affected mostly elderly people, second wave is affecting young people and if the third wave comes, it will affect mostly children as it can cause inflammatory syndrome in them,” he said.
Khuroo said that lockdown isn’t a solution but to tame the beast it is must, “but government must take care of poor people.”
