Nasal vaccines could be game-changer- Health Secretary

Doctors, nurses and others involved in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic should not hesitate the get themselves vaccinated.. Top medical experts and members of the government think tank NITI Aayog have requested people eligible for vaccination not to fall for rumours on safety, and that minor adverse effects are common and should not deter people from inoculation. "A lot of efforts have gone into making the vaccines. If our healthcare workers, especially doctors and nurses are declining it (vaccination), then it's very upsetting. We never know what form this pandemic could take, how big it could get, so please get vaccinated," NITI Aayog member on health Dr VK Paul told reporters on Tuesday in New Delhi. , the fourth day since COVId-19 vaccination began in India.

"The concerns about adverse effects and serious problems seem to be unfounded and insignificant. These two vaccines are safe," Dr Paul said. I request them to get vaccinated and please be a role model, motivate others. This vaccine hesitancy needs to end," Dr Paul said, adding vaccination is the only route that will "take us to the end of this calamity".Till Monday, a total of 3.8 lakh people have been vaccinated since the rollout of the coronavirus vaccines. Among them, 580 cases of adverse reactions have been observed and seven have been hospitalised. Two have died also but neither deaths are related to vaccines, the government has said.

Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan has  said a nasal vaccine candidate is under consideration. "It's an exciting development and could be a game-changer," he said. 10,064 fresh COVID-19 cases were reported in the last 24 hours in India, the lowest in seven months. So far India has reported 1.05 crore cases and 1,52,556 deaths. According to the Union Health Ministry, five states/UTs have reported promising numbers in terms of vaccination against Covid-19. These include Lakshwadeep with 89 per cent, Sikkim with 85 per cent, Odisha with 82 per cent, Andaman and Nicobar with 81 per cent, Telangana with 80 per cent and Rajasthan with 71 per cent.