Surge in COVID-19 cases: Booster shot to prevent infection may do more harm than good, says AIIMS doctor
"There is no research on how effective the booster dose will be if you are already infected. And if this new variant is infecting you by bypassing natural immunity, then it can also bypass the vaccine and infect you," says AIIMS doctor.
New Delhi: In the wake of the recent rise in COVID-19 cases, although many experts are advising people to take maximum precautions and also booster doses, AIIMS doctor Dr Sanjay Rai is of the opinion that at this point of time, a booster dose of the vaccine can do more harm than good.
In the last 24 hours, 10,753 new cases have been recorded. At the same time, the cases have crossed 1,500 in the national capital too. The infection rate has also risen to 33 percent.
Also Read:COVID-19 boosters for high-risk adults 6-12 months after last dose: WHO
In view of these increasing cases, many experts and doctors are advising people to take maximum precautions and telling those who have not taken booster doses, to take them.
Dr Sanjay Rai, the professor of Community Medicine, at AIIMS Hospital, Delhi, is of the opinion that at this point in time, a booster dose of the vaccine can do more harm than good.
Talking to ANI, Dr Sanjay said, "Due to the mutation in the RNA virus, the cases will continue to increase and decrease. This situation will continue like this in the coming times as well. There is no need to panic about this. The people that will get infected with the new variants will create new immunity. But despite all this, the more important thing is whether the severity, hospitalisation or the death rate is increasing?"
He said, "In the initial phase of COVID, when people were not infected in large numbers, people did not have herd immunity, then they needed more vaccines. But now almost all the people in the country have been infected, after which natural immunity has been formed in them. This is more effective in protecting against any virus than the vaccine. Also, we cannot stop any new web with the vaccine, it only reduces death and severity. Giving more steroids to prevent infection may do you more harm than good".
The Professor of Community Medicine further said that many researchers have come out saying that if you have been infected with coronavirus once, then you have developed natural immunity.
"And you have been protected from death and severity for a long time. At present, both corona and influenza are infecting people. Influenza is a viral infection that comes every year and infects people according to the season. How effective will the booster dose of the vaccine be? No research has come to the fore regarding this. Only on the basis of possibilities, we cannot say that booster dose will be beneficial for people at this time," he said.
Dr Sanjay Rai said that in the last few months, we have seen that the infection of corona has increased rapidly in countries like China, Japan, South Korea.
"All these countries have been highly vaccinated, Japan has got 4 doses of the vaccine, yet the corona infection was once again spreading very fast there. COVID-19 spread rapidly even after vaccination in these countries because they kept zero COVID-19, people did not have natural infection due to which people got infected even after being vaccinated," he further said.
The doctor said that the protection you get after natural infection is not available even after taking the vaccine, but if a person has not yet been infected, then it is necessary for him to take the vaccine.
"There is no research on how effective the booster dose will be if you are already infected. And if this new variant is infecting you by bypassing natural immunity, then it can also bypass the vaccine and infect you," he added.
The doctor of AIIMS Hospital said that the situation that we are seeing right now will continue forever.
"The increase of cases will continue to be seen. If we keep on testing, then the cases will also keep on increasing, but it is most important that hospitalisation, death and severity should not increase. And for those who are getting infected, it is necessary for them to wear a mask, if they are going out of the house, do not go to crowded places. They should isolate themselves at home," he further said.
