Healthcare workers wait to receive COVID-19 vaccine at Mathalput Community Health Centre in Koraput district of Odisha. (Representative image: Reuters)

Amid the rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in Odisha, a night curfew would be imposed in 10 districts with effect from April 5. The restriction would be applicable in the districts of Sundergarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Bargarh, Bolangir, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Koraput and Malkangiri to prevent the transmission of the novel coronavirus infection, according to an order signed by Chief Secretary SC Mohapatra.

Here are the key points about the night curfew:

> The night curfew will be in force from 10 pm to 5 am.

> During the night curfew, all commercial establishments, shops, offices, institutions and movement of individuals will remain closed, except for essential activities, said the order.

> District collectors/ municipal commissioners will issue orders for their respective jurisdictions under appropriate provisions of law, such as under Section 144 of CrPC and ensure strict compliance.

COVID-19 Vaccine

Frequently Asked Questions

How does a vaccine work?

A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine.

How many types of vaccines are there?

There are broadly four types of vaccine — one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine.

What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind?

Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time.

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COVID-19 cases spike: Odisha imposes night curfew from today in these 10 districts

Odisha's COVID-19 tally mounted to 3,42,695 as 471 more people tested positive for COVID-19 on April 4

Healthcare workers wait to receive COVID-19 vaccine at Mathalput Community Health Centre in Koraput district of Odisha. (Representative image: Reuters)

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