Vaccines helped in reducing Covid-19 severity: Experts
GHAZIABAD: As Covid-19 cases continue to rise in Ghaziabad, official records of the district health department show that of the 390 patients who tested positive in the first 23 days of April, 346 (about 88.71%) have either been administered the first dose of the anti-covid vaccine, or are fully vaccinated, thereby significantly reducing the severity of the disease. Most patients who tested positive for Covid-19 since April in the district are asymptomatic, officials said.
The district, on Monday, recorded 49 fresh cases, taking the tally of active cases to 273. Ghaziabad has recorded 459 cases in April so far. Records also indicate that barring one patient, everyone else is currently in home isolation.
“Of the 390 patients in the first 23 days of the month, 346 are vaccinated. Patients are not suffering from symptoms as severe as those during the previous waves of the pandemic and it is largely because of the vaccine coverage. Also, of the 390 patients, 35 are children in the 0-12 age group, who are not eligible for vaccination yet,” said Dr Rakesh Gupta, district surveillance officer.
“Cases will rise further in the next few days. However, it is expected that the severity of the symptoms will remain low. We are tracing about 20 primary contacts of every patient in order to contain the spread,” Dr Gupta added.
Since the present surge in cases is also being reported from schools and colleges, the district is tracking and tracing the contacts of 19 infected teachers and 81 infected students from 53 schools/colleges.
Health experts said that the vaccination coverage has provided better protection against the infection.
“It is because of vaccination coverage that the patients are showing mild or no symptoms at all, and that is why inoculation is a must for all. However, the spread of infection is on the rise as there is hardly any Covid protocol enforcement. People have also become lax in maintaining social distance and wearing face masks,” said Dr Ashish Aggarwal, former president of the Indian Medical Association’s (IMA) Ghaziabad chapter.