The health protocols in place to address the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) will remain for a long time and people will have to keep wearing masks even after a vaccine is available, said the lead professor at the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) Balram Bhargava said.
Speaking at a webinar hosted by King George Medical University of Lucknow (KGMU), Dr. Bhargava said that India is making rapid progress when it comes to the development of the Covid-19 vaccine. “We have a goal of providing vaccines to 30 million people by July of next year. The future course of action will be decided after that. India will develop a vaccine, not just for itself but for 60 percent of developing nations. Twenty-four manufacturing units and 19 companies will participate in the development of a Covid-19 vaccine, ”the Hindustan Times sister publication Hindustan said on Saturday, citing Professor Bhargava.
The ICMR director general also said that the masks will remain because they work like a vaccine.
“The mask is like a cloth vaccine. We cannot ignore the contribution of masks to stop the spread of Covid-19. We are working on vaccines, five candidates are being tested in India. Of these, two are being developed by India and three are from abroad. But vaccines will not be enough to end Covid-19. We will have to follow health and safety protocols, ”added Dr. Bhargava in the webinar entitled ‘Paradigm Shift in Covid-19 Management’.
He said masks play an important role in keeping people who have recovered from the infection safe.
“It is possible that (the masks) will never disappear. The vaccine will provide some protection, but the masks or cloth vaccine will need to continue. I don’t think we can give up these measures, including social distancing, ”said Professor Bhargava, who ruled out the possibility of another lockdown when asked.
The webinar was held on a day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi toured three cities in Pune, Ahmedabad, and Hyderabad to personally review the development and manufacture of the vaccine.
The Prime Minister’s visit to Pune’s Serum Institute of India (SII), Ahmedabad’s Zydus Biotech Park and Hyderabad’s Bharat Biotech aimed to gain first-hand insight into the preparations, challenges and roadmap in the effort of the country to vaccinate its citizens.
According to the Union Ministry of Health, 93,51,110 cases of Covid-19 have been reported so far, including 87,59,969 recoveries and 4,54,940 active cases.
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