Why are people not opting for cheapest Covid vaccine - mask? asks renowned virologist

CHENNAI: With the resurgence of Covid-19 cases in Tamil Nadu and across India, it has become evident that the virus is spreading with renewed pace. Express spoke to Dr Jacob John, renowned virologist from Christian Medical College (CMC) Vellore, to help people perceive the second wave of the pandemic.

There is a lot of panic about the second wave and people fear that the Covid-19 strains spreading now are more virulent. Is this true?
The disease has not changed much. However, now the younger persons are getting the disease more easily. Earlier this data did not stand out. The observation that it is more virulent could be biased. When many youngsters get affected by a more infectious strain, it will look as if the virus is more virulent. Perhaps it’s only more infectious. It has to be investigated in-depth using a severity score that has to be developed in the country.

Could it be that- India’s vaccination drive among senior citizens seems to shift the data to look like the younger population is falling sick more easily?
The country’s vaccination drive has not had any meaningful impact on the epidemiology of Covid-19, as a very small portion of the population is immunised. We have not even reached 25-30 per cent of coverage. We need at least so many people immunised to start seeing some impact.

What then is the key strategy to be safe amid rising cases now?
The one thing I fail to understand is people not using the `10 vaccine that is available to everybody-the mask.  I see pictures of crowds, where nobody or less than five per cent of people, wear masks. As long as you wear a mask, you are 90 per cent protected from infection. It is like a cheap yet highly effective vaccine. 

Social distancing has become a forgotten culture that lasted only a brief while. How to work around that?
Social distancing is important, but it is actually not as important as wearing a mask. You can interact with almost anyone at a 2 feet physical distance as long as you wear a mask. You need to maintain at least 6 feet distance from a person without the mask. Mask wearing must be compulsory 100 per cent of the time. It is the best prevention. Do not jostle around people in a crowd, do not touch each other and keep at least two feet distance as long as you wear masks.

What are the differences between the old strains and the new ones? What should the public know?
Only a well conducted scientific study can enlighten us on the differences between all the strains in India. The healthcare system is too overwhelmed to study. Who has the time to conduct scientific studies when doctors are struggling and managing an overwhelming number of patients? Where is the money coming from for these studies? Who has the time to collect data? Are epidemiologists employed to collect and study data? Let’s say a person dies from infection. The doctor is pushed to move on to saving the next critical patient. The doctor doesn’t dwell or has the time to find why he or she died. The health care system need not be keen on finding the cause of death, it should be the public health system that should focus on it. We cannot build a well to douse a burning house, you use the water available. It is time we prepared for the future now.