News Brief
Only 0.04% Reinfected After Second Covaxin Dose, Just 0.03% Reinfected After Second Dose Of Covishield: Health Ministry
Covid-19 vaccine.
The Dr Harsh Vardhan led Health Ministry on Wednesday (21 April) released crucial data revealing very low breakthrough cases among individuals who have taken the Covid-19 vaccines available in India.
Breakthrough cases or infection means the number of people who have contracted a particular disease (in this case Covid-19) even after getting vaccinated against it.
As per data released by the Health Ministry, over 93 lakh individuals received the first dose of Covaxin out of which just 4,208 or 0.04 per cent became covid positive at a later date. Similarly, only 695 out of over 17 lakh or just 0,04 per cent contracted Covid-19 after getting the second dose.
Even in the case of Covishield which, only 17,145 or 0.02 per cent of first dose takers were found to be Covid positive out of 10.03 crore recipients. The figure is a minuscule 0.03 per cent or 5,014 cases for those who received the second dose.
The data released by the Health Ministry clearly shows that the Covid-19 vaccines work and that people - especially those aged above 45 should not hesitate in getting the vaccine shot.
"Severe disease and death is prevented via Covid vaccines and the chance of infection is reduced. Two to four breakthrough infections per 1,000 have occurred, which is a very very small number",said Dr Balram Bhargava the Director General of Indian Council For Medical Research (ICMR).
Dr Bhargava added that the number could have even been zero in the absence of the highly transmissible second wave. It should also be noted that most of the vaccinated personnel are frontline and health-care workers who are way more exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus as compared to the common public.
Similar results were also released by the US health officials a couple of days ago. As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), less than 6,000 breakthrough cases have been encountered in the country. This translates to a very small figure of 0.07 per cent out of the 84 million Americans who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
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