Even if a vaccine against coronavirus
is available early next year, healthy adults, without any underlying disease, are unlikely to receive it before 2022, according to a new book ‘Till We Win: India’s Fight Against The COVID-19 Pandemic’. The book is co-authored by AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria, Public Policy and Health Systems Expert Dr. Chandrakant Lahariya, and Renowned Vaccine Investigator and Virologist Dr. Gagandeep Kang, the book is available for pre-order at line and will arrive at the stands on December 10.
“The priority groups are likely to be health workers, the elderly and people with comorbidities who are most at risk, as well as essential workers, who will vary from country to country,” according to a frequently asked questions section of the book on who are you likely to get COVID-19 vaccinate first. The book suggests that “some vaccines may be available in early 2021.”
“The first 20% of the vaccinated population is likely to have healthcare workers, people in essential services, and people with comorbidities and at high risk. In that case, a healthy adult is likely to receive the vaccine at a later stage, probably in 2022, “according to the book. It will be “two to three years” before there are enough vaccines available to vaccinate all who need them, the authors said in the book that claims to be a definitive account of India’s fight against COVID-19 and educates readers on how to deal with the pandemic in the days to come.
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan had recently announced a proposal to vaccinate 20 to 25 million Indians in September next year. The book explains that the decision of which population group should have priority for the vaccine is defined “by the purpose for which the vaccine is used.”
“If the goal is to prevent the maximum number of deaths, vaccinating health workers and the elderly makes sense in the first phase. However, if the goal is to prevent transmission, then vaccinating the youngest who interact most with the elderly. others is the way to consider, “the authors said in the book. Bharat Biotech, Serum Institute, Zydus Cadila, Panacea Biotec, Mynvax and Biological E are among the national pharmaceutical companies working in coronavirus vaccinations
On herd immunity, the book says that “it is still a long way off for most of the country”, and that “we should look for a vaccine for a more predictable development of immunity.” In fact, even an “imperfect vaccine” will also protect a large proportion of people, according to the book. “Regulatory agencies have stated that the vaccine must have a point estimate of 50% efficacy; this means that the results of the trials must show prevention of at least half of the disease, but due to the size of the trials, it is possible that the real efficacy of the vaccine may be higher or lower, “it was said in the book. “However, an imperfect vaccine will protect a large proportion of people. Also, once some vaccines are available, we can focus on improving their performance,” the authors said.
Herd immunity occurs when large numbers of people, typically 70 to 90 percent, become immune to a contagious disease after being infected. Published by Penguin, the 338-page book “Until We Win: India’s Fight Against COVID-19 Pandemic “is priced at Rs 298.
.
