CHENNAI: After the emergence of the Omicron variant, more people have come forward to take vaccines, say village health nurses on the field.
“Earlier, people were hesitant to take the vaccines. Many refused to take the second dose, but now they are showing willingness. Some are even asking about the booster dose,” said a village health nurse in Red Hills.
“After we started educating people about how vaccines will prevent them from severe diseases and deaths, no matter what the variant is, they have become eager to get jabbed. We are also telling them to take the booster dose when it will be given as it will provide them extra protection from the variants,” said a village health nurse in Chengalpattu district.
Many field health workers TNIE spoke to said that the awareness on vaccination has increased now.
Though studies are still underway to understand the potential impact of the Omicron variant on countermeasures, experts say the vaccines, including the available ones, are capable of preventing the severity of the disease and deaths.
Also, one fact that won’t change is one needs the second dose for better protection, said Dr Prabhdeep Kaur, Deputy Director, National Institute of Epidemiology, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). Dr Jacob John, a noted virologist, said, “Vaccines are doing well around the world and they are the tools we have against the variant.” He said two doses and a booster dose after six months are a must to prevent reinfections.
Any viruses causing respiratory diseases will undergo mutations and it’s their character, but their core structure will remain the same. So, once vaccinated, even if reinfection cases are reported, people will not die or suffer severely from the infection, said Dr K Kolandaswamy, former Director of Public Health.
He also warned that there would be more deaths among the unvaccinated 50-plus people with comorbidities and the aged people during the end phase of Covid-19.
“In the next phase, cases may be less but more people will die, and they will be the unvaccinated people,” he added.
According to WHO, vaccines remain critical in reducing the severity of infection and deaths related to the virus.
“WHO is working with technical partners to understand the potential impact of Omicron on our existing countermeasures.”