Covid-19 Vaccine Won't Prevent Infection, Will Reduce Severity And Deaths: Odisha Public Health Director

Bhubaneswar: Covid-19 vaccines do not prevent one from getting infected completely. However, it will reduce the chances of developing severe infection and mortality, said Director of State Public Health Dr Niranjan Mishra on Monday.

Responding to a question on people violating Covid appropriate behaviour post vaccination, Mishra warned, “There is no such guarantee that people who take the jab won’t contract the infection. People will have to follow the universal precautions which include wearing mask, sanitising hands and maintaining social distance even after receiving the vaccine shots,” he added.

“The Covid-19 vaccines will reduce the chances of developing severe infection, morbidity and deaths due to the disease,” the State Public Health Director said.

Currently, two vaccines- Covaxin by Bharat Biotech and Covishield manufactured by Oxford- AstraZeneca are being administered to people of Odisha.

With migrants returning to the State, particularly in the western belts of Odisha from neighbouring states, Temporary Medical Camps (TMCs) have been opened in many districts to provide them required treatment and facilities for isolation.

“TMCs have already been opened in many districts. Returnees and other people who do not have the facility to stay in isolation at their homes, will have to stay at the TMCs,” said Mishra.

Camps have been set up in several places which have been engaged to collect samples for RT-PCR tests of the people at block level. The health department is mulling to increase the tests to 50,000 per day.

Briefing the media on the availability of beds at designated hospitals, Covid Care Centres (CCCs) in the State, Mishra informed that currently, there are 9,008 general beds available, out of which 17 percent have been occupied till Sunday.

Similarly, 21 percent ICU beds were occupied by Covid patients out of the available 2,018 ICU beds while of 782 beds with ventilator support, 59 were occupied till yesterday, Mishra informed.

Meanwhile, over 400 people have so far returned to the State after visiting the Kumbh Mela in Uttar Pradesh’s Haridwar, he added.