Vaccine must to achieve herd immunity: Dr Khuroo
‘Third wave likely to affect children’
Srinagar: Chairman of the government’s Covid advisory committee Dr M S Khuroo Wednesday said that the vaccine was must to achieve herd immunity and to reduce the effect of prevailing second wave.
He said that people of Kashmir 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.
Dr Khuroo said that to fight pandemic and decrease incidence of infections, there are only two ways — that is vaccination, and following Covid-appropriate behaviour.
“Infection rate will decrease as more and more people are vaccinated,” he said, adding that people must be given both doses of vaccine on time.
Dr Khuroo also said that in some vaccines like that Moderna and Pfizer have 95 percent efficacy, while 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 years and there are little chances of among the males and the elderly people,” Khuroo said.
“All above 18 years must get vaccinated. 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 on the normal persons,” he said.
Dr Khuroo also said that Mucormycosis (Black Fungus infection) can affect people with weak immune systems, or those who have undergone transplant surgery, or have been on steroid drugs for a long time.
He also informed that 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.”
Dr Khuroo also said that lockdown isn’t a solution but to tame the beast it is must, and insisted that the government must take care of the poor people. (With KNO inputs)
