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HomeIndiaMass, incomplete and uncategorized vaccinations can promote mutant strains- Experts warn PM 

Mass, incomplete and uncategorized vaccinations can promote mutant strains- Experts warn PM 

While the country has begun vaccinating citizens aged 18+, a panel of renowned public health experts warned against mass, indiscriminate and incomplete inoculations as these can lead to the emergence of mutant strains of coronavirus.

The group, which included doctors from AIIMS and members of the national task force on Covid-19, formed the report and sent it to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In the document, they said that there isn’t any immediate need to vaccinate people who were previously infected with the virus. The need of the hour is to inoculate people who are vulnerable and at a greater risk of getting infected, the experts from the Indian Public Health Association (IPHA), Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine (IAPSM) and Indian Association of Epidemiologists (IAE) said. Mass vaccinations, including that of children, can wait, they added.

“The present situation of the pandemic in the country demands that we should be guided by the logistics and epidemiological data to prioritize vaccination rather than opening vaccination for all age groups at this stage. Opening all fronts simultaneously will drain human and other resources and would be spreading it too thin to make an impact at the population level,” the experts-curated report mentioned.

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Unplanned vaccinations can promote mutant strains as there is no evidence supporting the inoculation of young adults and children, it said while adding that “Mass, indiscriminate, and incomplete vaccination can also trigger the emergence of mutant strains. Given the rapid transmission of infection in various parts of the country, it is unlikely that mass vaccination of all adults will catch up with the pace of natural infection among our young population.”

People who have been previously infected with covid-19 need not receive the vaccine, it said, as they will be vaccinated post-finding evidence that proves vaccines to be advantageous even after natural infection.

Moreover, vaccine schedules should be changed on the basis of the surge present in particular areas or the mutant dominant in places. For instance, the gap between the first and second dose of Covishield can be reduced in areas that are reporting delta variant’s surge.

“Vaccine is a strong and powerful weapon against the novel coronavirus. And like all strong weapons, it should neither be withheld nor used indiscriminately; but should be employed strategically to derive maximum benefit in a cost-effective way,” experts said.

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Though vaccinating every citizen is surely required, the nation currently needs to prioritize people due to the limited vaccines available, they added. People have to be categorized and vaccinated as elderly, people with co-morbidities or obesity take the greatest portion of the fatalities record. Moreover, it isn’t cost-effective to vaccinate young adults at this time, it said.

The experts suggested repeated local level serosurveys after the second wave ends to understand the vulnerability level of every district. This can help in creating vaccination strategies while also aiding in long-term monitoring of recovered covid patients for any reinfection, complications, outcome and severity to attain enough evidence for finding the duration till which immunity can last following natural infection.