• India has achieved over 100 cr. vaccinations but still, only 38% of the population has achieved full vaccination
• Major emphasis to be put on the frontline workers and the vulnerable population like elderly persons and children

The Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the apex association of the country, to create awareness and understanding about the Booster dose to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic and its effect on people’s health and welfare, organized a webinar on ‘Booster Dose for Covid-19’ under the ‘Illness to wellness’ campaign at New Delhi recently.

The COVID-19 Pandemic has affected the nation, unlike any other epidemic, with different variants still mutating and transferring it becomes important for us to look for the mitigating strategies for the huge population of India, The webinar started with a cheerful note of being ‘Careful not Fearful’, and according to WHO most developed countries have administered two doses per person as well, but the requirement of booster dose is imperative due to the rising fear of the third wave.

Commenting on the growing concerns Chairman of ASSOCHAM CSR Council, Shri Anil Rajput said, “the new variant ‘Omicron’ has more mutations and a higher rate of transmissibility therefore it is important to increase the pace of vaccination and a need for a booster dose.” “While we must be wary of not over vaccinating, optimally utilizing surplus vaccines by administration it to people with comorbidities and front-line workers needs to considered”, he added.

Highlighting the Importance of Vaccination, Dr. Gautam Bhansali, Practicing physician and consultant, Bombay Hospital Institute of Medical Sciences said, Different variants are still coming out and countries like The US and UK are still recovering from the impact, booster doses are important as they reduce the severity of the impact and therefore even if the virus is contracted there would not be a need for hospitalization, 74% of the people in Mumbai are fully vaccinated and people who are left out is only because of the gap between the two doses and there is the need to reduce the gap by the government, The vaccine administration would also depend on the individual immunity and efficacy of the previous vaccines.

Commenting on the severity of the new variant Dr.P. Venkata Krishnan, Sr. Consultant, Internal Medicine Artemis Hospital said, “there is a need to administer the booster shot as the 1st dose introduces the body to the infection and then timely doses are required so that the body is able to identify the infection effectively and produce the desired antigens the effect of the dose then increases and the ill effects decrease it is like teaching a lesson to a kid, it is like a memory but for the infection, it is important as the virus has the potential to mutate, there is a requirement to administer the frontline workers as they are at the biggest risk.

The panel also shed light in the timely administration of the vaccine, which is 6 months according to the FDA in the USA, as it was pointed out by the specialists that people may contract the 2nd infection even after being vaccinated as the number of antigens in the body decrease as the time gap between the doses increases, the FDA has also suggested that people above 18 years of age should get the booster after 6 months have gone by. The panel also discussed the vaccine hesitancy that was prevalent amongst the people, the panelists suggested a few withdrawal measures like restrictions to entry in public places like malls and public transport instead of punishments, for this Delhi government, has launched the “Har-Ghar Dastak” campaign for people who cannot reach the center such as the elderly and persons with disability. The panelists also discussed that children above 12 years of age be immediately vaccinated as it has a psychological bearing on their mental wellness.

Initiating the panel discussion Dr. Rajesh Kesari, Founder, and Director Total Care Control shared, a Shlok from the Charaka samhita that says that good health is a prerequisite to attaining Dharma and Moksha. Vaccines are now very easily available, and it is important as it creates antigens that act like soldiers in our body. With new cases spreading fast there is a need to vaccinate the frontline workers and people with comorbidities and vulnerable populations as they stand to lose out the most.

The panelists were unanimous in their praise for ASSOCHAM India for organizing this highly significant and timely webinar. They have agreed to the rising concern with the new variant Omicron discovered in a lab in South Africa, there was an emphasis on following the foundational basics of SMSV i.e., social distancing, masks, sanitization, and finally vaccination, as the COVID-19 is now like any other common flu and was here to stay.

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New Delhi: PM Shri Narendra Modi,  reviewed the Covid-19 pandemic situation in the country and the preparedness of vaccine delivery, distribution, and administration.  The meeting was attended by Union Health Minister, Shri Harsh Vardhan, Principal Secretary to PM, Member (Health) NITI Aayog, Principal Scientific Advisor, Senior Scientists, officers of PMO, and other Departments of Government of India.

The Prime Minister noted the steady decline in the daily Covid cases and growth rate.

Three vaccines are in advanced stages of development in India, out of which 2 are in Phase II and one is in Phase-III.  Indian Scientists and Research Teams are collaborating and strengthening the research capacities in neighbouring countries viz., Afghanistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Maldives, Mauritius, Nepal and Sri Lanka. There are further requests from Bangladesh, Myanmar, Qatar and Bhutan for clinical trials in their countries. In an effort to help the global community, the Prime Minister further directed that we should not limit our efforts to our immediate neighbourhood but also reach out to the entire world in providing vaccines, medicines and IT platforms for vaccine delivery system.

Vaccine should be ensured speedily:

National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19 (NEGVAC) in consultation with State Governments and all relevant stakeholders have prepared and presented a detailed blueprint of vaccine storage, distribution, and administration.  The Expert Group in consultation with the States is working actively on vaccine prioritization and distribution of vaccine.

The Prime Minister further directed that keeping in view the geographical span and diversity of the country, the access to the vaccine should be ensured speedily.  The Prime Minister stressed that every step in the logistics, delivery, and administration should be put in place rigorously.  It must include advanced planning of cold storage chains, distribution network, monitoring mechanism, advance assessment, and preparation of ancillary equipment required, such as vails, syringes etc.

He further directed that we should make use of experience of successful conduct of elections and disaster management in the country. The Prime Minister said that in a similar manner vaccine delivery and administration systems should be put in place. This should involve the participation of States / UTs / District Level functionaries, civil society organisations, volunteers, citizens, and experts from all necessary domains. The entire process should have a strong IT backbone and the system should be designed in such a manner so as to have a lasting value to our healthcare system.

No major mutation in the virus. 

Two Pan India studies on the Genome of SARSCoV-2 (Covid-19 virus) in India conducted by ICMR and D/o Bio-Technology (DBT) suggest that the virus is genetically stable and there is no major mutation in the virus. The Prime Minister concluded by cautioning against complacency at the decline and keeping up efforts to contain the pandemic. He insisted on continued social distancing, Covid appropriate behaviour such as wearing the mask, regularly washing hands and sanitation etc. especially in the wake of upcoming festival season.

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COVID-19 which is caused by the virus named SARS-COV-2, originated from China and quickly spread across the globe. WHO recognized it as a Pandemic which has till today infected 24 million people worldwide and more than 822  thousand deaths. In India it is spreading wider and till now about 3.31 M million people are infected and nearly 60,472  people have lost their lives.(Till  August 27th)

It is a dreaded disease and the whole world is looking for a vaccine to treat the COVID-19 effectively and control the spread of the disease. While many companies are in the race to produce a vaccine, few have already gone into various phases of human trials. Moderna’s mRNA-1273 and Oxford-AstraZeneca’s Covid vaccine are ahead and have proven the safety and efficacy of the vaccine.

So now that we know, the vaccines are definitely on the way, the world will face a different kind of challenges. Few of the challenges which I see are:

1. Avoiding counterfeited vaccines :

Fake Vaccines! Yes, COVID-19 is a dreaded pandemic and everyone is looking forward for a vaccine. Thanks to Serum Institute of India and Adar Poonawalla that we have already started the production of COVID-19 vaccine in the name of Covishield for India and the world.

2. Vaccine distribution:

Covishield is not a Routine Vaccine. The world will need billions of doses to be manufactured in order for the vaccine to be available in all parts of the World, thankfully Serum Institute of India is one of the only few companies in the world to have the capability to manufacture this volume of doses. GAVI too has tie-up with UPS. UPS has committed a US$ 3 million in new funding and in-kind logistics support spanning two years, provided by UPS and The UPS Foundation to Gavi. This initiative will help COVID-19 vaccine’s equitable and timely distribution. However, India will still need its own logistics in order for the vaccine to reach to everyone. We must ensure it is accessible to each person in India.

3. Surveillance during Vaccination and monitoring and follow-up for upcoming doses

Monitoring of people who would have received the vaccine is extremely crucial for us to monitor people who would have received the vaccine, in order to ensure they also receive the follow up dose and how are they doing in the long run after receiving the vaccine.

While it is a great thing that vaccine will be available soon, but we should be prepared for a long wait as well. The initial supplies will be extremely limited and the frontline health-care professionals will get the first access followed by those people who are vulnerable to serious illness. To make this vaccine reach each and everyone, India will have to work hand in hand with other nations.

Also Read: INDIA CASES INCH CLOSER TO 3 MILLION ; VACCINE BY END OF THIS YEAR

Mr. Neeraj Mehta
CEO- Immunifyme

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MOSCOW: President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that Russia had become the first country in the world to grant regulatory approval to a COVID-19 vaccine after less than two months of human testing, a move hailed by Moscow as evidence of its scientific prowess.

The development paves the way for the mass inoculation of the Russian population, even as the final stage of clinical trials to test safety and efficacy continue.

The speed at which Russia is moving to roll out its vaccine highlights its determination to win the global race for an effective product, but has stirred concerns that it may be putting national prestige before sound science and safety.

Speaking at a government meeting on state television, Putin said the vaccine, developed by Moscow’s Gamaleya Institute, was safe and that it had even been administered to one of his daughters. “I know that it works quite effectively, forms strong immunity, and I repeat, it has passed all the needed checks,” said Putin.

He said he hoped the country would soon start mass producing the vaccine. Its approval by the health ministry foreshadows the start of a larger trial involving thousands of participants, commonly known as a Phase III trial.

Such trials, which require a certain rate of participants catching the virus to observe the vaccine’s effect, are normally considered essential precursors for a vaccine to receive regulatory approval. Regulators around the world have insisted that the rush to develop COVID-19 vaccines will not compromise safety. But recent surveys show growing public distrust in governments’ efforts to rapidly produce such a vaccine.

Russian health workers treating COVID-19 patients will be offered the chance of volunteering to be vaccinated soon after the vaccine’s approval, a source told Reuters last month. More than 100 possible vaccines are being developed around the world to try to stop the COVID-19 pandemic. At least four are in final Phase III human trials, according to WHO data.

Also read: NO NEED TO PANIC ABOUT COVID-19 AND STAY POSITIVE

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New Delhi July 15 2020: Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan has refused to give a deadline for the development and production of a vaccine for corona virus as the worldwide pandemic rages on. However, he has maintained that community transmission of the infection is yet to begin in India.

“The rising number of cases is a matter of concern but it is not alarming. Judge it by any parameter, we have done far better than the rest of the world,” he told CNN-News18 in an exclusive interview on Tuesday. “There is no data to prove that community transmission has started in India yet. I can say with confidence that community transmission hasn’t begun,” he said, adding that he cannot give a specific timeline or deadline for a vaccine.

“I can assure the country that our scientists, drug companies and the ICMR are working sincerely towards a vaccine, it is very difficult to give a timeline as of now,” he said. “In terms of treatment, we have looked at all possible options and we are doing the best we can. All the drugs that are available to the world are also available in our country.”

Vardhan said that if more testing is conducted, more and more patients will be picked up at an earliest possible stage and isolated, which will “drop the mortality rate and the risk of spread of the infection”. The minister had said that early detection of Covid-19 cases through widespread testing, surveillance and clinical management has resulted in India having one of the lowest fatality rate at 2.66%.

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