Vaccination to start for 15-18 age group but some call decision Unscientific

A senior epidemiologist at AIl India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Dr Sanjay K Rai, who is the principal investigator of Covaxin trials for adults and children at the institute on Sunday termed the Centre's move to vaccinate children against Covid "unscientific" and said it will not yield any additional benefit.

Dr Rai, who is also the president of the Indian Public Health Association said that data from countries that have already implemented vaccination for children should be analysed before executing the plan in India.

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In an address to the nation on Saturday night, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that vaccination against Covid-19 for children in the 15 to 18 age group will start from January 3, while talking about India's preparedness in the war against Covid.

This will reduce the worries of children going to schools and colleges and their parents, and boost the fight against the pandemic, he said, adding that the move is also likely to aid in normalisation of teaching in schools.

UNI reports, precaution or booster doses of vaccine will start from January 10, 2022, for healthcare and frontline workers, and also for those above 60 years of age, with comorbidities on recommendation of a doctor.

The Prime Minister also announced that India will soon have world's first nasal vaccine against Covid, and first DNA vaccine as well.

Asking citizens to remain vigilant and not to panic, the Prime Minister stated that Covid cases have been rising across the world after emergence of the new Omicron variant. He added that as the virus mutates, the fight against Covid is also getting stronger.

The Prime Minister mentioned that the global experience of fighting the pandemic has told that following all guidelines is the biggest weapons in the fight against Corona. Second weapon is vaccination, he said.

"I urge everyone not to panic. Be careful, stay alert, use mask, and clean your hands at short intervals," the Prime Minister said.

"Today as the virus is mutating, our capability and confidence to deal with the challenges is also multiplying," he added.

Amid rising concerns over new variant Omicron, PM Modi said India has 18 Lakh isolation beds, 5 lakh oxygen supported beds, 1,40,000 ICU beds, while 90,000 beds are specially for children. He said there are over 3,000 PSA oxygen plants, over 4 lakh oxygen cylinders have been given, and states are also being helped in creating buffer stock of medicines and being provided sufficient number of testing kits.

"The experience of fight with Covid so far tells that at a personal level, following protocols is the weapon to fight Corona. The second weapon is vaccine," Modi said.

The PM said understanding the seriousness of Covid-19, India started working on mission mode quiet early.

"Along with research on vaccine, we also worked on approval processes, supply chain, distribution, training, IT support system, and certification processes... It was because of the preparedness, India started giving vaccines to its citizens since January 16 this year. It is the collective effort and willpower of the citizens, that India has crossed the ambitious and unprecedented goal of administering 141 Crore vaccine dose," he said.

He said over 61 per cent adults have received both doses of vaccine so far, while around 90% adults have received at least one dose of vaccine.

Making the much awaited announcement about vaccination for children and beginning of giving booster doses, the Prime Minister said, "Vaccination will now start for children between age 15 and 18 years. It will start from January 3, 2022"

"This decision will strengthen the fight against Covid and address the concerns of parents," he said.

He also said government has decided to start 'precaution dose' of Covid vaccine for healthcare and frontline workers from January 10, 2022. Option of precaution dose of vaccine will be made available to those above 60 years, with comorbidities, on recommendation of doctors from January 10 as well.

The Prime Minister also emphasized that India's fight against Corona has, from the very beginning, has been based on scientific principles, scientific consultation and scientific method. He said vaccine campaign has brought relief and normalcy in the everyday lives of the countrymen. Economic activities have been encouraging compared to many countries of the world. However, the Prime Minister cautioned that Corona has not gone and alertness is of paramount importance.

PM Modi also cautioned against the efforts to spread rumours, confusion and fear. He appealed to citizens strengthen and speed up the world's biggest vaccination campaign in the coming days.

The announcement for the Prime Minister's address to the nation was made by the Prime Minister's Office in a tweet. PM Modi greeted citizens on Christmas and for New Year, and stressed that all precautions should be practiced.

Home Minister Amit Shah meanwhile welcomed the announcements, and called for vigilance, precautions and vaccination to deal with the Covid 19 pandemic.

The address to the nation by the Prime Minister comes two days after he chaired a meeting with top officials over Covid situation and preparedness.

However, a senior epidemiologist at AIl India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Dr Sanjay K Rai seemed disappointed with his unscientific decision on children vaccination.

"I am a great fan of PM Modi for his selfless service to nation and taking right decisions at right time. But I am completely disappointed with his unscientific decision on children vaccination," Rai said in a tweet tagging the Prime Minister's Office.

Elaborating his viewpoint, Rai said there should be a clear-cut objective of any intervention. The objective is to either prevent coronavirus infection or severity or death.

"But according to whatever knowledge we have about vaccines, they are unable to make a significant dent in the infection. In some countries, people are getting infected even after taking booster shots.

"Also, 50,000 breakthrough infections are being reported per day in the UK. So this proves that vaccination is not preventing coronavirus infection but vaccines are effective in preventing severity and death," Rai told PTI.

He said mortality due to Covid-19 in susceptible populations is around 1.5 per cent, which means 15,000 deaths per million population.

"Through vaccination, we can prevent 80-90 per cent of these deaths, which means that 13,000 to 14,000 deaths per million (population) can be prevented," he added.

Serious adverse events following immunization are between 10 to 15 per million population, Rai said.

"So, if you do the risk and benefit analysis in adults, it is a huge benefit," he said.

In the case of children, he said, the severity of infection is very low and according to data available in the public domain, only two deaths per million population have been reported.

"In this section (children), 15,000 (people) are not dying and keeping in mind the adverse effects also, if you do the risk and benefit analysis, then the risk is more than the benefits based on the available data," Rai explained.

"Both the objectives are not being fulfilled by initiating vaccination among children," he said.

Few countries, including the US, started vaccinating children four-five months ago. The data of these countries should be analysed before initiating Covid vaccination for children, he said.

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