ICMR chief reiterated that Covid-19 vaccines do not prevent infection and primarily prevent severity and mortality from the illness while adding that masking and CAB will remain the best defense against the SARS-Covid-2 virus.
As India gears up to start the roll-out of booster doses of Covid-19 vaccines, Union Health Ministry on Thursday reminded that masking and Covid Appropriate Behaviour will remain the most efficient tools for protection against the coronavirus.
Citing global evidence and scientific research from India, Director General (DG) Indian Council of Medical Research ( ICMR ) Dr. Balram Bhargava said in a press briefing that the immunity against Covid-19 post the natural infection or through the vaccination may only last up to nine months.
The ICMR chief reiterated that Covid-19 vaccines do not prevent infection and primarily prevent severity and mortality from the illness while adding that masking and CAB will remain the best defense against the SARS-Covid-2 virus.
He said during the press briefing on the Covid-19 situation held by Union Health Ministry on Thursday, “All Covid vaccines, whether they are from India, Israel, US, Europe, UK or China, are primarily disease-modifying. They do not prevent infection. The precautionary dose is primarily to mitigate the severity of infection, hospitalization, and death.”
He also said, “Evidence from multiple studies held across the globe and in India suggest that antibodies formed after the natural infection can persist up to nine months of recovery from the Covid-19. So if you get an infection, you are generally protected for 9 months.”
Meanwhile, the Union Health Ministry informed that approximately 90 percent of the adult population in India has been vaccinated against Covid-19 with the first dose, while 63.5 percent of those eligible have been administered both doses of vaccines.
Joint Union Health Secretary Lav Agarwal said that a sudden surge in daily cases is being reported from Delhi and multiple districts of Maharashtra, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and Karnataka.
Mr. Lav Agarwal further said that “Besides, the weekly positivity rate of more than 10 percent is being noted in 8 districts – six in Mizoram, one in Arunachal Pradesh, and Kolkata.”