55-yr-old health worker at Chandigarh's GMCH-32 tests +ve after two jabs
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, March 15
Even after taking two doses of the Covishield vaccine, a 55-year-old healthcare worker at the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, tested positive for Covid-19.
There have been many such instances in Punjab wherein frontline workers and healthcare workers tested positive after receiving two doses of the vaccine. However, experts say that vaccination does not guarantee that the beneficiary will never get infected, but it does ensure decreased severity.
Dr Madhu Gupta, principal investigator of Covishield vaccine trials at the PGI, said it was possible for a person to get infected despite vaccination as the production of antibodies in a human body differs from person to person.
She said the vaccine was important because it would lower down the severity of the disease and reduce mortality among Covid patients.
‘REDUCES SEVERITY’
The vaccination will decrease the severity of the disease, but the chances of catching the infection still persist. The healthcare worker who tested positive is asymptomatic due to the vaccination. —Dr Madhu Gupta, PGI
“Vaccine is an artificial antigen that acts like a virus and produces antibodies in the human body. After the second dose, the level of antibodies will increase. The antibody production varies from person to person. Studies show that the vaccine is producing antibodies in almost 100 per cent individuals but the levels may vary. If any vaccinated person comes in contact with a Covid-19 patient, the virus can travel through the nose wherein there is no antibody to neutralise the virus. As the virus travels to lungs, there will be antibodies to neutralise it,” she said.
“The data, too, suggests that the double dose efficacy of the vaccine is 62 per cent. So, there is a chance that 38 per cent may get infected. The most important thing is that the vaccination will decrease the severity of the disease but the chances of catching infection still persist. The healthcare worker who tested positive is asymptomatic due to vaccination,” said Dr Gupta.
Dr Deepak Chawla, nodal officer for immunisation at the GMCH-32, said even after vaccination, we educate the beneficiaries to keep adhering to Covid-19 protocols.
