Celebrate but vaccinate: New mantra ahead of festivities this year

Nagpur: With a very few number of Covid-19 cases and almost no deaths even after Ganesh Utsav and Navratri festivals, the pandemic is turning towards endemic in Vidarbha region. Markets, cinema halls and restaurants are opening up like pre-Covid conditions, making people enthusiastic about celebration of Diwali, the biggest festivity of the year.
This has led the city health experts to come up with the next level of precautions for the common people ahead of the festival. They said vaccination is important, so “celebrate, but vaccinate”.
“I think, 1 % positivity rate in the population of 25 lakh is acceptable. Ours is very less. So, instead of waiting for zero case which is impractical and impossible theory, we must move ahead now,” said infectious disease specialist Dr Nitin Shinde. According to him, better idea is to find out unvaccinated pockets and target them to achieve at least 90% coverage.
“Children under-10 years of age are largely safe. They are mixing up and playing together since almost two months but not many cases were detected. I think outdoor mingling has no problem at all,” said paediatrician Dr Vijay Dhote, who is the president of Academy of Pediatrics (AOP), Nagpur.
Physicians said that Covid-19 is no more deadly for healthy people. “The cases coming in last two months are not manifesting any serious kind of disease. Patients require general care and they are recovering in home isolation. If your health parameters are fine and you have taken both doses of vaccines, there is no need to fear during festivities,” said general physician Dr Mahesh Shah.
Those who have pre-existing health complications must take additional care, said doctors. “Having blood sugar, hypertension and other conditions can bring you to hospital in case you get infected with the virus. People with comorbidities must take vaccine. Elderly people also must complete their vaccine schedule at the earliest,” said geriatric care specialist Dr Nilay Vishwakarma.
Doctors have suggested people should wear masks and wash hands frequently, not due to Covid-19 fear but as a part of hygiene habits. “Masks may protect from the air pollution that rises during Diwali. Washing hands saves us from many bacterial infections too,” said paediatrician Namrata V.