India Far From Achieving Herd Immunity Against COVID-19: Harsh Vardhan

New Delhi: Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Sunday said that India was far from achieving herd against COVID-19. The minister, citing Indian Council of Medical Research’s (ICMR) sero-survey, also assured that it was “actively researching” reinfection reports.

The first sero-survey of May 2020 had shown that the nationwide prevalence of novel coronavirus infection was only 0.73 per cent.

“The soon to be released second sero-survey indications are that we are far from having achieved any kind of herd immunity which necessitates that all of us should continue following COVID appropriate behaviour,” Harsh Vardhan said during an interaction with his social media followers on ‘Sunday Samvaad’ platform.

The minister also cautioned that sero-survey report shouldn’t create complacency among people. “ICMR is actively investigating and researching reports of reinfection and although the number of reinfection cases is negligible at this moment, the government is fully seized of the importance of the matter,” Harsh Vardhan further said.