Events
& Issues
New
Delhi, 25 March 2021
Vaccination Drive
COVID-19 Second
Threat
By Dr. S.Saraswathi
(Former Director, ICSSR, New Delhi)
Prime Minister
Narendra Modi told Chief Ministers that rise in COVID cases in some States
could “lead to a national outbreak of the disease and quick and decisive steps
are needed to prevent an emerging second wave of the infection”. He pointed to
the possibility of spread of the disease to villages from Tier II and III
cities where it seemed to have spread, and said that controlling the disease in villages would
pose a big challenge to health infrastructure.
Daily cases of
COVID-19 crossed 40,000 for the first time after 111 days on 18 March. Active
cases were over 19,000 that day raising rumours of return to lockdown regime
and strict enforcement of official regulations.
The 7-day average
rose by more than 5% for 6 days at a stretch, which was said to be the highest
rise since the outbreak of the pandemic. In the week 15-21 March, the surge was
still worse at 75% of the number recorded in the month of February which
confirms the re-emergence of the virus and portends bad days ahead. The second
wave is not confirmed yet directly, but often
mentioned by concerned experts as
imminent.
Five States -
Maharashtra, Punjab, Kerala, Karnataka, and Gujarat are identified as the
chief contributors to the threat of
second wave of COVID-19 - not unbelievable as Europe is facing a third wave. According to data
in the Union Health Ministry, 70 districts in 16 States registered over 150%
increase in cases in the first fortnight of March and infection is increasing
at 100-150% in 55 districts in 17 States. Maharashtra’s second COVID wave is
reported to be mild, but spreading fast. It reported over 27,000 cases on 20
March. In 15 other States also, daily number which lessened in the last 3-4
months shows sudden increase. With approaching summer, chances of further
spread of the virus is feared as people start using ACs and room coolers.
Indications of
possible second wave despite timely precautionary measures point to inadequacies and lapses somewhere in the
line. Neither the governments, nor the administration can be blamed as the
pandemic is all powerful and unpredictable.
Medical and health personnel are doing their best at great personal
risks and need to be rewarded, not blamed.
The main reason for
resurgence of the virus is suspected to be blatantly indifferent attitude of
people in following norms. Most people do not wear masks despite announcement
of spot fines and those who wear, also
do not wear it properly. Social distancing is hardly followed and with the
opening of temples, theatres, malls and restaurants in many places, cannot be enforced
without stern action. Social gatherings in marriages and other celebrations go
on as special occasions in one’s life. Less said about political meetings, the
better.
Relaxations in
lockdown are misunderstood as weakening of the virus. A Union Health Ministry
team has reported that 10 to 20 pilgrims and equal number of locals test
positive for Coronavirus in the ongoing Kumbh Mela in Uttarakhand. Still, the
anxiety of the authorities seems to centre on conducting the festival allowing
free movement of pilgrims and not on enforcing pandemic norms to prevent the
second wave that is waiting at our doorsteps.
Vaccination is
universally believed to be a powerful intervention in the present pandemic
emergency to arrest its uncontrolled escalation, but not a remedy against the
outbreak of the disease in future.
Both Vaccines used in
India – Covaxin and Covishield - are said to be equally effective and no
complaints have been received against their use. Emergency use of the two
COVID-19 vaccines was authorized by the regulatory agency on 3 January and
healthcare professionals were chosen as the top priority category for taking
the vaccine followed by those in essential services. The second phase began on
1 March for the elderly.
Vaccination coverage
is a technical issue and purposive, and does not adhere strictly to definite criteria like age, sex, etc. Questions of
equality are irrelevant. From healthcare angle, vaccination aims at preventing
mortality and severe attack of the virus causing serious health problems. From public health perspective, it is
intended to put a break in the chain of the disease to control its spread which
will help restoration and continuation of normal life and activities. Both
objectives are equally important and the ultimate target is to cover the entire
“eligible” population - eligible in the medical sense.
Therefore,
vaccination programme needs a logical time schedule to be determined by
administrative authority in consultation with medical and public health experts
and not a matter for political debates and exchanges.
Further, it is
repeated again and again that vaccination is not a final solution for anybody
to permanently escape COVID-19. Not only does it take time to build immunity
after the first and second doses of the vaccine, it is now said that the
vaccine effect may stay for about 10 months which means that it is introduced
as an immediate requirement to counter current emergency.
Under-utilisation of
vaccination facilities is often mentioned as a problem in India, a reputed
vaccine producer in the world, creating problems of vaccine wastage that world
can ill-afford. India is able to
supply vaccines to many countries, but at home has faced challenges in
vaccination drive including positive opposition. Those who are vaccinated are
repeatedly advised not to relax the essential precautions of wearing the mask,
maintaining social distance, and
washing hands frequently and avoiding touching one’s face. This perhaps
acts as a disincentive in operation vaccination.
For, it raises a
crucial question in everybody’s mind regarding the purpose of vaccination
programme. The authorities have to come up with easily understandable
explanation for the massive vaccination programme that will answer all doubts
of people. Advice and stress on
vaccination, assertion of the safety of the vaccines, expansion of
vaccination centres, and concessions
and incentives to get vaccinated are necessary, but must be accompanied
with educational programmes to convince
people of the purpose and effect of vaccination.
The need for that education increases with increase in the propaganda
made to take vaccination.
Several television
channels are conducting interviews with medical experts to impart vaccination
education that is very much needed in the country. But, how much of it is
actually accessed by people is a big
question. More official information directly addressing people is needed, but
of course with no exaggerated claims. It is a difficult responsibility in view
of the tendency growing in the country
to politicise every issue.
Those likely to face
problems in taking allopathic medicines and injections want more detailed information regarding possible reaction to
the vaccine and facilities for treatment for them. It is partly the fear of
side-effects and reaction of the body to the medicine that is hindering
progress of the vaccination schedule. People who think that they can avoid
catching and carrying COVID virus by scrupulously following COVID norms rather
than subject themselves to the unknown
reaction to the vaccine have to be addressed. In our country, such
people are not a negligible section.----INFA
(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)
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