The season of festivals is around the corner and so is the chance of a possible festival induced surge of COVID-19 cases. Kartik is the month of festivals in India with Dussehra, Karva Chauth, Diwali and Chhath Puja celebrated back to back in various parts of the subcontinent. And for every festive celebration to be successful there needs to be people. But given the times, people signify mass gathering and that means spread of coronavirus infection. Like last year, we cannot let our guard down completely and we must celebrate cautiously.
As the second wave is yet to recede completely, one piece of good news is that more than 75% of India’s adult population has received the first jab and more than 31% has got both doses. Although this puts people out of danger in terms of a severe infection, it doesn’t make you completely immune to the risk of infection in spite of getting both your doses. In the month of August 14,421 persons contracted COVID-19 in spite of being fully vaccinated.
Given the circumstances, it is only responsible on our part if we understand the scenario and continue to follow COVID appropriate behaviour for the safety of one and all.
Covid 19 mainly spreads airborne by droplets. The droplets from coughing or sneezing can travel upto 3 feet when protective masks are worn and without them they can travel 22 ft in a closed environment. Hence social distancing along with masking is necessary to prevent the spread of covid 19 in festive season where large gatherings are there and the disease can easily spread.
Dr. M.G. Kartheeka, MBBS, MD
The SUTRA model is an acronym that stands for Susceptible, Undetected, Tested (Positive) and Removed Approach. It is a model based on mathematics and used by experts to predict the COVID graph in India. As per its initial findings, the model reported that India had well ‘past its peak’ in October 2020, meaning that India had achieved herd immunity. However, in April this year, experts found a number of flaws in the model:
All in all, the SUTRA model is blamed for being instrumental in the idea that India was safe from a possible second wave.
However, with fresh COVID cases being reported in the states of West Bengal, Orissa and Assam post, it is only practical to follow all COVID appropriate behaviour.
Crowds are a source of transmission in the COVID-19 spread. Contention and mitigation measures have focused on reducing people’s mass gatherings, the impact of small-scale (less than 100 people) gathering events on the spread of COVID-19 in the city is also not to be underestimated as even a single case of covid might be sufficient to cause the spread.
Dr. Ashish Bajaj – M.B.B.S, M.D.
As COVID is very much present among us, we need to follow some important tips to ensure that our enjoyment is maximum and so are the safety measures.
Times are still very much uncertain as we do not know how the virus might behave. Getting vaccinated does not make you invincible but only lowers the risk of a severe infection. Follow all COVID-19 protocols to ensure safety and happiness throughout this festive season.
Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.
Links and product recommendations in the information provided here are advertisements of third-party products available on the website. PharmEasy does not make any representation on the accuracy or suitability of such products/services. Advertisements do not influence the editorial decisions or content. The information in this blog is subject to change without notice. The authors and administrators reserve the right to modify, add, or remove content without notification. It is your responsibility to review this disclaimer regularly for any changes.
By now many of us have received at least the first dose of any of the approved COVID-19 vaccines. Everyone knows that the COVID-19 vaccines are administered to the upper arms. But have you ever wondered why?
Most vaccines such as those for Hepatitis B, DPT, HPV, are injected into the upper arms, except some like the Rotavirus vaccine or Oral Polio vaccine which is administered orally. But why the arm? Read on to find the answer.
Once the vaccine is administered into the upper arm muscle, it is taken to the nearest lymph nodes. There the vaccine comes in contact with the guardians of the body – the White Blood Cells which function to develop immunity against the vaccine. Your body starts producing antibodies and your immunity is now active and you have a defence mechanism against Coronavirus.
There is a muscle in your upper arm called the deltoid muscle. It is a triangular muscle extending from the shoulder to the upper arm and it helps you lift your arm. COVID-19 vaccines are administered right into the deltoid muscle through the intramuscular route. The deltoid muscles have excellent blood circulation. This leads to quick absorption of the components of the vaccine, maximization of the immune response and at the same time reduces the possibility of severe after-effects of the vaccine.
On top of that, the deltoid muscle injection is easy and fast, which means many doses of the vaccines( to multiple people) can be administered in a short time. This factor is crucial when we are racing against the clock to get the entire population vaccinated by the year-end.
You will also experience less pain at the vaccine administration site.
If it is not possible for a person to take the COVID vaccine in arms due to any reason like missing or amputated arms, he/she can be given the intramuscular shot of COVID vaccine in the thigh region which is also a suitable site for intramuscular injections.
There is no escape from the side effects of COVID-19 vaccines but the side-effects indicate that the vaccine is working. Did you know that one of the most important reasons why COVID-19 vaccines are administered to the upper arm muscle is that the side effects don’t spill over to the nearby muscles and tissues? There will only be localized pain, irritation and inflammation.
Since the deltoid upper arm muscle has a good blood supply, recovery is rapid.
Do not rub the vaccine administration site. Once you come home, you can gently apply a cold compress to the area to dull the pain. Paracetamol can help alleviate pain and discomfort. It is normal for the pain to last at least a week and there may even be some bruising at the site. If pain intensifies suddenly or you notice any other unusual side-effect, contact your doctor.
Vaccination is the only way we can develop herd immunity. COVID-19 vaccines are safe and please do not believe any of the rumours being circulated online. Book yourself and your loved ones a slot. At the same time, continue to maintain COVID safety protocol such as wearing masks and sanitising hands. It doesn’t take much to keep yourself safe.
Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.
Links and product recommendations in the information provided here are advertisements of third-party products available on the website. PharmEasy does not make any representation on the accuracy or suitability of such products/services. Advertisements do not influence the editorial decisions or content. The information in this blog is subject to change without notice. The authors and administrators reserve the right to modify, add, or remove content without notification. It is your responsibility to review this disclaimer regularly for any changes.
Even though COVID-19 has been rampaging for more than a year, a lot is yet unknown about this virus. Every day scientists are making new discoveries and adding to our knowledge and understanding of the virus. This, we hope, will better equip us in finding ways to make the world population safe from COVID-19.
To further our knowledge about COVID-19 and understanding of re-infection, a study was planned in the UK by some of the most premium academic institutions of the country.
This study was recently conducted by the University of Oxford in conjunction with the Universities of Sheffield, Newcastle and Birmingham with help from the UK Coronavirus Immunology Consortium and has arrived at a startling finding.
People who have recovered from COVID-19 may still contract the disease from the Alpha and Beta COVID variants. The alpha and beta COVID-19 variants are the ones that wreaked destruction throughout the globe last year. The alpha variant was mostly responsible for the devastation in the US. The beta variant was discovered in South Africa and triggered a spike in that region of the African continent. They are all considered as ‘variants of concern‘. WHO has given these variants such a label because these have a high transmissibility rate and can lead to severe infections with far-reaching consequences on health.
Here are a few glimpses from the study and what it says about COVID re-infection:
For the study, researchers collected samples from 78 healthcare workers. These medical professionals are at the frontline of the war against COVID-19. The goal was to observe how their immunity responds to COVID-19 and what are the chances of being infected again even after recovering from COVID-19.
The people from whom samples were taken had experienced both symptomatic (66 of the volunteers) and asymptomatic COVID infection (12 of the volunteers). All of them had contracted COVID-19 very recently. The sample pool also included 8 people who had survived very severe COVID-19 infections.
The samples were drawn every month from the first to the sixth month from the time of the infection. Several types of antibody tests such as Spike-specific and Nucleocapsid-specific antibodies were run on the samples to analyse the body’s memory of the disease and understand different aspects of the person’s immune response.
For more accurate analysis, machine learning technology nicknamed SIMON was deployed. The involvement of SIMON was a game-changer. Why? Because now, with the help of SIMON, the researchers could get their hands on complex datasets to understand patterns in the sample analyses. This had never happened before.
This means that the researchers could tell with greater accuracy what the early response to the disease is like. With that data, they could also predict how long-term immunity will shape up. This, in turn, helped them realize what the chances of re-infection are.
Through the avant-garde technology used, researchers came across an immune signature that develops in the first month post-infection. This signature can determine how strong COVID-19 immunity will be in the sixth month post the infection.
The samples of many of the participants showed very weak immune signatures in the first month (26% for symptomatic disease and 92% for asymptomatic disease). That translated to the failure to produce antibodies that can destroy the alpha and beta COVID variants.
The samples of some of the survivors showed no immune memory at all 6 months after the infection. The findings point to an uncomfortable truth that the immune systems of COVID-19 survivors may not be able to shield them from re-infections.
This study has proved that surviving a COVID-19 infection need not necessarily grant a person complete immunity from the virus, especially because new variants too are on the rise. Just because you have contracted COVID-19 once does not mean that you are safe from it. Scientists had already assumed that the antibodies do not last long. This research has proved from another angle that re-infection is very much possible and the only way to save yourself is to get both doses of the COVID vaccine.
This means we should not relax the COVID-19 protocol even after recovering from COVID-19. A very real threat of COVID re-infection exists, especially from the alpha and beta COVID variants and also the newer variants.
It is very important to understand that you need a COVID vaccine (if not vaccinated already) after 3 months of recovery from a COVID infection as you cannot just rely on the immunity acquired from a Covid infection.
Continue following COVID-19 precautions such as hand sanitization and wearing of masks when you are outside. Clean your clothes, accessories, shoes and bags once you come home. Maintain physical distancing wherever possible. And book a slot for the COVID-19 vaccine, even if you had contracted COVID-19 earlier.
Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.
Links and product recommendations in the information provided here are advertisements of third-party products available on the website. PharmEasy does not make any representation on the accuracy or suitability of such products/services. Advertisements do not influence the editorial decisions or content. The information in this blog is subject to change without notice. The authors and administrators reserve the right to modify, add, or remove content without notification. It is your responsibility to review this disclaimer regularly for any changes.
