Everyone should get vaccinated as soon as possible in order to develop 'Herd Immunity': Dr T Manihar
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 29 2021: Everyone should get vaccinated at the earliest in order to develop 'herd immunity'.

Dr T Manihar, State Immunization Officer, said this at the third phase of Virtual Series of National Talks organised by Fit India Campaign Committee and Fit India Club, Manipur University which was held today.

The lecture was presented by Dr T Manihar Singh, State Immunization Officer, Directorate of Family Welfare Service, on the topic 'COVID-19 Vaccination' .

Dr T Manihar Singh talked about the origin, present scenarios and impact of COVID-19 on economy, social and health systems in the country.

As there is no exact medicine for its treatment at present, it's the time to focus on preventive measures.

He explained when and how the vaccines for COVlD-19 has been produced and how the vaccination has started in India and Manipur along with different timeline for vaccinating different categories of people in the country and state like health workers, frontline workers, citizens of India above 60 years of age, persons above 45 years of age with comorbidities, persons above 45 years of age, and later on the persons in the age group of 18 to 44 years.

He also highlighted the planning, preparations and training programmes conducted in order start the vaccination in the state and how it keeps on expanding.

He has also explained details about the 3 vaccines - Covishield, Covaxin and Sputnik V - presently available in the India, said a statement issued by FICC and Fit India Club, MU.

Regarding vaccination of Covid vaccine, he mentioned that if any person recovered from covid-19 infection, they should get vaccinated after 3 months of recovery.

Any person recovered from any sickness after getting ICU Ventilator support, they should wait for 4-8 weeks for getting Covid-19 vaccination.

Any person if no severe case of uncontrolled high sugar (diabetes), no severe case of Asthma or person having no history of allergies in any vaccination before should go for.

Covid-19 vaccination.

Even lactating mother (breastfeeding mother) can go for Covid-19 vaccination according to latest studies.

But as of now, pregnant women should not get vaccinated as there are no studies done on the vaccines side effects on them.

He also mentioned that either after 14 days of 1st or 2nd dose of Covid-19 vaccination, one can donate blood.

He has requested people to continue following COVID-19 guidelines even after taking vaccine as there is no history of 100 per cent protection from any disease by vaccinating against them, added the statement.

He stressed that as fast as possible all the people should get vaccinated so that a hard immunity can be developed against the virus.

Herd immunity can be de-veloned either by making all the people get sick with Covid-19 or by getting vaccinated all the people.

We should increase the speed of vaccination to achieve herd immunity against this fast mutating virus.

It is also people's responsibility now, so let us not think government to handle it alone.

Answering questions, Dr T Manihar Singh said that we have shortage of vaccines for 18-44 age groups as it is being purchased separately by the state government from the Serum Institute of India.

No vaccines are being supplied adequately though money has been paid along with orders.

Maximum care should be taken in order to avoid wastage of vaccine.

In case booked beneficiaries did not turn up for vaccination, on the spot registration may be permitted to avoid the wastage of vaccine.

Answering a question, he said that there is no exact report of how long protection can be availed after vaccination, but some studies showed that around 8 months' protection are there after vaccination.

He mentioned about the COVlD - 19 vaccine intended to provide acquired immunity against severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARSCoV2), the virus causing COVID 19 and produce protection against the Corona virus, as a result of developing an immune response.

Further, he request to all the participants for vaccination and obey the guideline discipline of wearing masks, cleaning hands frequently and social distancing (staying 6 feet) is only tools to fight the virus in future.

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