THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The spread of Covid among students of Thrissur Medical College is a wake-up call to people who lower their guard after vaccination, say health experts. They warn that more people are found to be flouting Covid protocol during lockdown relaxation.
According to them, breakthrough infections, or vaccinated persons getting infected again, are also on the rise due to lowering the guard. The warning comes at a time as more people have restarted their social life after the the relaxation of lockdown rules in the state.
The number of people vaccinated has risen with the state giving the first dose to over 50% of the eligible population, while close to 20% have received the second dose.
Over 60 people - including 53 medical students - tested positive for Covid on Monday even when they were vaccinated in the first phase of an immunisation drive for health workers.
According to faculty members of the Thrissur MCH, complacency and disregarding the experts’ directions led to mass infection.
“Students were given instructions to follow Covid protocol in college and in their hostels. It seems they were oblivious to the seriousness of the infection. Against the direction to eat separately in their hostel rooms, they dined together leading to the spread. They felt confident after Covid vaccination and decided against following the protocol when they meet each other,” said a representative of Kerala Government Medical College Teachers’ Association (KGMCTA).
As many as 39 infected students of the second year MBBS were sent home. Director of Medical Education Dr Remla Beevi said committees have been formed for strict monitoring of Covid protocol in all medical colleges.
“We conducted an inoculation drive to vaccinate all medical students. Since then we have seen one or two odd cases. The recent mass infection is due to the lowering of guard by the students,” she said.
While breakthrough infections are not entirely avoidable, health experts attribute the rise in cases to the Peltzman Effect, which says that people are more likely to engage in risky behaviour when security measures are mandated.
According them even health workers show laxity in wearing masks properly as the case loads in many hospitals have reduced.
“Vaccines do not offer 100% immunity against Covid. Mild infections are still possible even after taking two doses. That is why we advise people to follow SMS (Sanitise-Mask-Social distancing) even after vaccination,” said an expert of infectious diseases in a government medical college.
According to him the breakthrough infection reported are mild and vaccines have helped in reducing the severity of the disease.