COVID-19 vaccine efficacy more than 60 percent: Dr Naveed

SRINAGAR — Head of Department, Chest Disease Hospital, Dr Naveed Nazir Shah told Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday that all the misconceptions about the vaccine are baseless as its efficacy is more than 60% and added that one can get infected even after vaccination but infection can’t be life-threatening that it is without vaccination.

Talking to Prime Minister, Narendra Modi in “Mann Ki Baat” on the unprecedented surge of COVID-19 cases in the second wave in India, Dr Naveed told Prime Minister that at the start of the pandemic, the first designated COVID-19 hospital in Kashmir was Chest Disease Hospital but there was an atmosphere of fear among the people who had the impression that COVID-19 infection meant death as the ultimate fate.

Stating that there was no fear of death due to COVID-19 infection also among the doctors and the para medical staff of the hospital but had apprehension of getting infected while treating patients, Dr Naveed told the Prime Minister ‘as time passed, we saw that if we use proper protective gear and follow safety guidelines, we will ensure our safety as well as that of our supporting staff’.

Dr Naveed in his observations also told the Prime Minister, “Later on, we observed that many patients recovered without medication and with the passage of time, fear about COVID-19 was greatly reduced’.

On the unprecedented spike in second wave, Dr Naveed told the Prime Minister, “We need not get panicked. Even now, if we follow all protective measures and follow SOPs like the use of masks and hand sanitizers and maintain social distance and avoiding social gatherings, we can continue our daily routine while protecting ourselves from the infection’.

When asked by PM Modi about the protective strength of the vaccine questioned by people and sought to know that how protective are the vaccines, Dr Naveed told the Prime Minister: “Since the time when the infection surfaced, till today there is no effective treatment available for COVID-19,” adding, “We had been saying from the very beginning that if some effective vaccine comes up, it can help us to get rid of this disease. As we have two vaccines available now, trials have shown that their efficacy is more than 60%.”

Dr Naveed also told Prime Minister that in Jammu and Kashmir till date, 15 to 16 lakh people have got themselves vaccinated despite the fact that several misconceptions and myths are being circulated on social media about the side effects of the vaccines.

Offering further explanations on apprehensions about the side effects, Dr Naveed told the Prime Minister, “Till date in the entire process, we have not found any side effect. The only usual side effects, associated with every vaccine, such as fever, pain in the entire body, pain at the site of vaccination were witnessed.”

He also told the Prime Minister, “Another apprehension people have is that a few people tested positive even after vaccination but here the companies themselves have said in their guidelines that people can get infection even after vaccination but the severity of the disease will not be life-threatening.”

At the end of the interaction, Dr Naveed told Prime Minister, “We must remove all the misconceptions about vaccines and whosoever gets it on his/her turn should get it. As from 1st May in the entire country, vaccination drive will begin for those above 18 years of age, I appeal to the people to come forward and get themselves vaccinated for their protection as well as the protection of our society and community.”