Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Tuesday said that the two doses of COVID vaccine have helped reduce the severity of the infection and fatality to a great extent.
Speaking to the media, Director Medical Education and Training (DMET) CBK Mohanty said that Covaxin and Covishield vaccines have been effective against the Delta variant of the virus.
The vaccination, however, does not produce a shield against the COVID-19 virus, he added.
To a question on whether the elderly need a third booster dose, Mohanty said neither the World Health Organisation (WHO) nor the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has said anything in this regard.
“The Lancet report on third vaccine dose to older people is related to the efficacy of Pfizer’s mRNA vaccine (BNT162b2). The study did not look at the efficacy of other vaccines,” he said.
The report based on the findings of a team of scientists from the UK had said that the elderly may need a third vaccine dose in countries where the ‘Delta’ COVID-19 variant (B.1.617.2 ) is prevalent as it possibly brings a dual challenge of reduced vaccine efficacy as well as increased transmission.
The delta variant, which is 50 per cent more contagious than the Alpha strain (first found in the UK), is responsible for the devastating second wave of the pandemic in the country.
Welcoming the announcement of the Centre on free vaccination of people aged above 18 years, he said that this will lessen the burden of the Odisha government to a great extent.
He, however, said the distribution of vaccines will depend on the supply of the same to the state by the Centre.
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