We have been constantly surrounded by the term Covid-19 for the past one and a half years. With an increasing threat of the virus since March 2020, India has witnessed two of the most dangerous waves, affecting crores of people and leading to lakhs of deaths.
According to the JHU CSSE COVID-19 Data, approximately 3.38 Crore people have been affected by the virus, with Maharashtra being the highly influenced.
However, we have recently witnessed that the pandemic is under control. One of the primary reasons for this accomplishment was the efficient implementation of the vaccine drive.
According to the government, around 69 per cent of the adult population has received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccination, with 25 per cent receiving both doses.
According to the report, 64.1 per cent of COVID-19 vaccine doses were delivered in rural immunization centres and 35% in urban areas. A total of 67.4 lakh doses (about 0.88 per cent) were provided at vaccination centres that were not classified as rural or urban.
The administration also stated that the number of COVID-19 tests has not decreased and that 15 to 16 lakh tests are performed throughout the country every day. According to the Union Health Ministry, almost 89 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in the country as of September 30, 2021.
However, our happiness might be short-lived. According to the health ministry’s updated bulletin at 09:15 a.m. on Friday, India reported 26,727 new Covid-19 cases and 277 deaths in 24 hours.
Eighteen districts indicate a weekly Covid positivity rate of 5% to 10%, while 30 districts record a 10% or higher weekly positivity rate. And so, we are on the verge of creating the third pandemic wave.
With the festive season on our doorstep, any irresponsibility or carelessness can send us back to square one.
One of the primary causes of this surge is that people have once again ceased taking measures. We can tell that a large number of people have abandoned the use of masks. Even banks and other institutions have relaxed their stance on the need for sanitization and social distance, making it a risky engagement. And so, the next few weeks are incredibly crucial for us.
According to the AIIMS Director, Dr Randeep Guleria, we must remain aware and vigilant over the holiday season. If we keep our eyes peeled for the following 6-8 weeks, we should observe a decrease in the overall number of Covid-19 instances.
This decline is expected to continue once a needle-free vaccine becomes available. Zydus Cadila, one of India’s leading pharmaceutical companies, has created history with the development of ZyCoV-D, the world’s first DNA-based COVID-19 vaccine. Currently, the company is negotiating the start of clinical trials for India’s first mRNA vaccine.
Only adults receive the COVID-19 vaccines because currently available vaccines are not available for people under 18 years of age. However, ZyCoV-D is a vaccine that protects people between 12 and 18 against the new coronavirus disease. And so, the DNA vaccine has been given an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), but it is yet to be distributed.
Several COVID-19 DNA vaccines are currently being studied worldwide in clinical trials, with at least as many early development phases. ZyCoV-D, on the other hand, is the only one that has received FDA approval, making it the world’s first human DNA vaccine against COVID-19.
As a result, the government stated that ZyCoV-D is a three-dose needle-free vaccine, and so before its distribution, it negotiating the pricing policy for the same.
And so, we might soon see the distribution of another vaccine in the Indian market. But with being said, we must not forget that vaccine reduces our risk of virus exposure, but it is not full-proof.
According to Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, a survey indicated that approximately 0.19 per cent of persons who received their first dosage were infected with Covid, and about 0.25 per cent of people were affected even after receiving both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine.
And so, it is mandatory to take all the precautions without any carelessness.
