Don’t pay heed towards rumours, take COVID-19 jab: Experts to people  

Srinagar: Amid the fear of COVID-19 second wave may be arriving, the Jammu and Kashmir administration is gearing up to start the vaccination drive for the common people in the first week of March.

A doctor while talking to Precious Kashmir said, “Initially when the vaccination drive commenced for health workers and other groups, some people were reluctant to take the jabs but most of them realized that getting vaccinated is the only way out.”

At present vaccinations are being given to the frontline COVID-19 workers but from next month onwards the government is planning to expand the ambit of the drive. “The reports of the second wave hitting some states across the country are disturbing. The only way to protect ourselves is to get a jab. There are reports that the new COVID variants may escape the vaccine but if a person has got himself vaccinated, he may get infected but the virus may not turn deadly,” the expert added.

Chief of All India Institution of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Dr Randeep Guleria recently stated that developing herd immunity for the COVID-19 is a “myth” in India because at least 80 per cent people need to have antibodies for the whole of the population to be protected. “It will be difficult if one takes into account the new Indian strains found in Maharashtra — which could be highly transmissible and dangerous. The new variant can even cause re-infections in people who have developed anti-bodies to the virus,” he added.

A medico said, “The Jammu and Kashmir administration deciding to go for a mass vaccination campaign is a good step. It can help the people in long run. The common people should not pay any heed towards the rumours that are being spread about the side effects of vaccines. The doctors have led from the front and have got themselves vaccinated without any fear. Had there been any side effects these would have been visible by now.”

He said, “The possibility about the second COVID-19 wave is no myth it can come anytime and the reports indicate that it could be more deadly than the first wave.”

It’s in place to mention here that besides Maharashtra, four more states — Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Punjab — have been witnessing a spike in numbers and experts believe that numbers are rising due to the second wave of the COVID-19 reaching these places.

“At present J&K is not reporting many COVID-19 cases on daily basis but the administration is gearing up as it may to have once again isolate the travelers and the people who may get infected,” said an observer.

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