Deaths rare, don’t lose faith in vaccines, say medical experts

Top doctors appeal to people to look at the bigger picture

ROHAN SHRIVASTAV | NT

Panaji: Stating that death of inoculated patients is rare, medical experts have asked people not to lose faith in the COVID-19 vaccines even as   questions are being raised in a section of the society over efficacy of the vaccines.

It may be noted that a few COVID patients who had received both doses of the vaccine have died after contracting the viral infection.

Speaking to ‘The Navhind Times’, professor and head of the department of preventive and social medicine at the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC) Dr Jagadish Cacodcar said there should not be hesitancy in coming forward to receive vaccine.

“Comparing the three deaths among those who had received the two doses of the vaccine with the 2,300-odd COVID deaths registered in Goa is itself evidence that majority of those who died did not receive the vaccine. Instead of looking at the small picture we should look at the bigger picture,” he said.

Dr Cacodcar, who is also the member secretary of the newly constituted State Task Force, said that vaccination is the only weapon to tackle the prevailing COVID situation and prevent the possible third wave of the pandemic. He pointed out that it has been proven that adverse events following immunisation (AEFIs) with COVID vaccine are negligible and nobody has died due to the vaccine itself. Vaccination is the single best strategy in preventing deaths and severity of COVID, he said.

“Undoubtedly, no vaccine can protect from all the mutant strains. There could be a breakthrough infection due to a mutant strain, but in case of majority of those who get such breakthrough infection, whether after the first dose or the second dose, the severity of the disease is very minimal and deaths are very rare,” he said.

Dr Cacodcar said countries that have managed to flatten the curve have achieved high coverage of vaccination. He went on to add that it has been consistently proved around the world that all infectious diseases including COVID-19 and their severity and deaths related to them have always been lowest amongst those who are vaccinated. “We are still way behind in achieving herd immunity. We can speak about herd immunity when more than 60 per cent population is covered and that is only in the context of vaccination and not the positivity rate or rate of disease,” he said.

“The first dose of Covishield offers more than 70 per cent of protection against COVID-19 and the second dose offers 85-90 per cent protection,” Dr Cacodcar said adding that the risk of blood clot due to the vaccine is ‘minuscule’.

Stating that COVID vaccine is extremely beneficial to people, Indian Medical Association (IMA) state president Dr Vinayak Buvaji said that people should understand that vaccination is not a foolproof shield against the virus but it reduces severity of the illness and helps in preventing fatalities. He said the milder the infection, the lesser will be the patient’s dependence on oxygen and added that very few vaccinated people may require hospitalisation.  

“In case of those who are vaccinated fully and are having co-morbid conditions, there is a possibility that they may require hospitalisation and chances of recovery are extremely high but patients with co-morbid conditions who are not vaccinated may die of complications,” Dr Buvaji said.

“Deaths after both the doses of vaccine can be counted on fingers, but still there may be a negative perception in a section of people. One shouldn’t forget that deaths can be prevented if vaccinated and severity of the illness will be very much mild and controllable,” he remarked.