The vaccinated too must be cautious: Doctors

With reports of vaccinated people testing Covid positive, doctors and health experts are concerned about the coronavirus situation in the country. On Wednesday, the Union Health Ministry said that the government will collect data on those testing Covid-19 positive even after getting vaccinated. Several experts have pointed out that the mutant virus is more infectious than the earlier strain.

A.M. Deshmukh, president, Microbiologist Society, India told The Sunday Guardian: “The Microbiologists’ Society of India calls the speeding strain of the virus as Maharashtra Strain that has mutated in the state and within the next two months, it will spread in neighbouring states as well. Vaccination is the only means of controlling deaths due to Covid-19. It’s important to expedite the vaccination; that is the only solution to control the pandemic. With increasing demands for vaccine, it’s important for India to pace up the trial periods of other vaccines like Sputnik V in which scientists have made use of human adenoviruses as vectors because it is safe. These viruses, which cause the common cold, are not novel and have been around for thousands of years. The new strain of virus remained subsided for a brief period. But the mutant virus is more infectious. People with co-morbidities have higher chances of getting infected and this is causing an increase in the death rate. It is necessary to vaccinate the entire population above 45