Next 125 days critical, 2 doses gave 95 per cent protection - Dr Paul

The Union health ministry of Friday cited a large-scale, real-life study conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research and said that two doses of Covid-19 vaccines, irrespective of Covishield and Covaxin, were successful to extend 95 per cent protection from death. The study was conducted during the peak of the second wave of the pandemic, which was driven by the Delta variant. Addressing a health ministry briefing, Niti Aayog Member (health) Dr VK Paul said we need to stop the infection from transmitting now and this is possible by adopting Covid-appropriate behaviour. He said the study was done on 1,17,525 police personnel in Tamil Nadu. Among them, 17,059 received no vaccine and 20 succumbed to the infection. A total of 32,792 police personnel received only one dose and this group recorded seven deaths. Only four deaths were recorded in the third group of 67,673 people, who were vaccinated with both doses.

"We have yet not reached herd immunity against Covid-19. We can see new outbreaks of the viral infection but we need to stop it now. This is possible if we follow Covid-appropriate behaviour to stay in the safe zone," Dr Paul said, adding that the next 125 days are "very critical" for India in the fight against Covid-19. Dr Paul said reiterating that vaccines are proving to be effective against Delta variant too. Delta has emerged as the latest threat in front of the world as it is believed to be driving the third wave of the pandemic, the effect of which is already being felt in many countries, including the United Kingdom, Spain, the Netherlands, Bangladesh, Indonesia, South Korea, Thailand etc. First reported in India in October 2020, Delta has now spread in over 111 countries.