PUNE: No new coronavirus variant of concern emerged in last six months, but constant vigil was a must, Dr NK Arora, member of the national task force and the chairman of the Covid-19 working group of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation, told TOI.
“Against the backdrop of no new variant in the last six months, ramping up of infrastructure in India and the enthusiastic immunisation programme, there should be strict Covid discipline ahead of and during festivals,” he said, stressing on effectively follow the Covid-appropriate behaviour and getting every adult vaccinated.
Arora, the chairman of the Covid-19 working group of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI), ruled out any shortage of vaccines. He said the country would have about 90 crore doses available in the coming three months. “More vaccines will be added to the range of vaccines available in the country shortly,” he said.He said the future course of any wave would depend on vaccination, Covid-appropriate behaviour, the percentage of the population exposed to natural infection during the second wave and of course, the possibility of emergence of any new variants. He said the health system preparedness was an essential part of the fight against any future upsurge of cases.
He said, “The Covid vaccines are very effective in preventing serious disease for the current variants. They may be effective on future variants as well. Efforts are on from the manufacturers’ side to modify the vaccines for emerging variants of concern.”
Expressing concern over lack of data on the current vaccines’ effectiveness on variants, virologist Dr Gagandeep Kang, a member of the Covid-19 working group and a professor at Christian Medical College, Vellore, said, “Without data, it is very difficult to know how our vaccines are working against variants or to think about what needs to be done for boosters.”
