New Delhi [India], December 30 (ANI): All COVID vaccines do not prevent infection and are primarily disease-modifying, said Dr Balram Bhargava, Director General, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Thursday. Briefing media persons, DG, ICMR said, “All COVID vaccines, whether they are from India, Israel, US, Europe, UK or China, are primarily disease-modifying. They do not prevent infection. The precautionary dose is primarily to mitigate the severity of infection, hospitalization, and death.”
“Use of masks before and after vaccination is a must and mass gatherings should be avoided… The treatment guidelines for the earlier and the currently circulating strains of coronavirus remain the same. Home isolation remains an important pillar,” added Dr. Bhargava. With the administration of 63,91,282 vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, India’s COVID-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 143.83 crores (1,43,83,22,742) as per provisional reports till 7 am today, informed the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Thursday.
As per the ministry, this has been achieved through 1,53,47,226 sessions. Within the age group of 18 to 44 years, 49,76,01,405 1st doses have been administered along with the administration of 32,67,56,163 2nd doses to the people in the category.
Within the age group of 45 to 59 years, as many as 19,40,91,039 people have been vaccinated with the 1st dose while 14,90,18,597 people have been administered with the 2nd dose. As many as 12,11,54,096 elderly people, (above the age of 60 years) have been administered with the 1st dose of the vaccine while 9,43,50,863 doses of the 2nd dose have been administered.
Meanwhile, India reported 13,154 new COVID-19 cases and 268 deaths in the last 24 hours, the Union Health Ministry said on Thursday. The tally of Omicron COVID-19 variant cases in the country has gone up to 961 with maximum cases reported from Delhi (263) and Maharashtra (252). With this, the country’s COVID-19 tally has risen to 34,822,040 while the death toll has mounted to 4,80,860.
\The ministry informed that the active caseload in the country stands at 82,402 constituting 0.24 percent of the total cases. As many as 7,486 patients recovered in the last 24 hours taking the total number of recoveries to 3,42,58,778. (ANI)
Durability of immunity post-COVID-19 infection persists for 9 months: DG ICMR Dr. Balram Bhargava
By Shalini Bhardwaj
New Delhi [India], December 30 (ANI): The durability of immunity after the COVID-19 infection persists for at least 9 months as per the evidence-based studies from different countries globally, said Dr. Balram Bhargava, Director General, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Thursday.
“The durability of immunity after the Covid infection persists for at least 9 months. If you get an infection for 9 months you are generally protected that’s evidence-based studies from different countries globally,” said DG, ICMR while briefing media persons.
“Immunological memory for SARS-CoV-2 lasts for >=8 months after natural infection this is from the USA, then Persistence of antibody and cellular immune responses >= 9 months after infection in China .” “In another study done in the USA published in Nature 2021, most patients had detectable SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses persisting for more than 13 months after infection, and Systematic review of 10 studies from Israel, England, Denmark, USA, Austria, and Italy showed more than 90 percent of the reduction in reinfection for up 10 months,” he explained
According to the three evidence-based studies on immunity conducted in India, Dr. Bhargava said, ” the Study conducted in Pune, Chennai, and Mumbai on 284 patients, 755 patients, and 244 healthcare workers respectively showed immunity up to 8, 6 and 7 months.” “The immunity provided by a natural infection lasting up to 8 to 13 months, so we have taken a conservative of nine months, then vaccination can provide immunity and majority of Indians have received either of the two vaccines. Some had the prior infection before vaccination and some had a prior asymptomatic infection,” he said
On vaccination immunity, he explained, “In essence, many individuals had multiple exposures to SARSCoV2 antigen, whether through the vaccines or through infections or through contact and the durability of this immunity also persists for up to or more than 9 months”. “Recovered and vaccinated (Hybrid Immunity) mounts a slightly stronger response. Robust antibody titers after the second dose for more than 6 months that is published in the very important journal called Nature,” he added.
After explaining the studies done in other countries, he also explained the studies conducted in India on immunity and vaccination. “The study from Kolkata says the duration of persistence of Cell-Mediated Immunity is 10 months in vaccinated individuals in both Covishield and Covaxin. All vaccines are primarily disease modified, they don’t prevent infection so they are not infection preventing,” Dr. Bhargava said. (ANI)
DCGI approves India-made RT-PCR kit to detect Omicron: Centre
New Delhi [India], January 5 (ANI): An RT-PCR test kit for detecting new coronavirus variant Omicron has been developed in India in partnership with Tata MD and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), said Dr Balram Bhargava, Director General of ICMR on Wednesday.
He further informed that the testing kit has been approved by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI). “Omicron detecting RT-PCR kit has been developed in partnership with Tata MD and ICMR and it has been approved by DCGI. This kit will test will give results in four hours,” Dr Bhargava said during the briefing of the Union Health Ministry. Dr. Bhargava has also said that Omicron predominant circulating strain in the country.
As per the ministry, 2,135 cases of Omicron have been reported in the country with Maharashtra registering the maximum cases followed by Delhi. The Ministry has also said that 108 Omicron-related deaths have been reported globally so far. (ANI)
