Post-vaccination Covid infections are usually minor and vaccination helps prevent severe infection, ICU admissions and death, according to the findings of a multi-center study of healthcare workers across India conducted by Apollo Hospitals.
‘Will save lives’
“This study reiterates the fact that our mainstay against Covid-19 is mass vaccination. Vaccines are not only safe, they also help prevent severe manifestations of Covid-19 and will help save lives,” said Prathap C Reddy, Founder Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group, in a release.
“The results of this large study across India make for a compelling case for citizens above 18 to come forth and get vaccinated in order for us as a country to tide over the Covid-19 crisis,” he added.
The study, conducted over over four-and-a-half months between January 16 and May 30, covered 31,621 healthcare workers who had received either both doses or the first dose of Covishield and Covaxin.
“We should aim to vaccinate 5 million Indians per day consistently. The main conclusions from the study are that post-vaccination infections are usually minor and vaccination helps prevent severe infection, ICU admissions and death,” said Reddy.
According to K Hariprasad, President, Hospitals Division, Apollo Hospitals Group, the study was one of the largest cohorts of vaccinated healthcare workers (HCWs) analysed in the country so far. The 31,621 HCWs covered under the study were from 43 units of the Apollo Hospitals Group across 24 cities from various categories, including doctors, nursing, paramedical, as well as support and administrative staff.
Need for hospitalisation
According to Anupam Sibal, Group Medical Director and Senior Pediatric Gastroenterologist, Apollo Hospitals Group, the results showed that vaccines provided protection in more than 95 per cent of the recipients and that post-vaccination infection (PVI) occurred in only 4.28 per cent of the vaccinated healthcare workers.
The finding also showed that only 90 cases required hospitalisation, with only three cases requiring ICU admission.