National Doctor’s Day 2022: Doctors highlight the importance of prevention through vaccination

On the occasion of National Doctor’s day, doctors have emphasised on the importance of taking precautions and be aware of the dos and don’ts for the benefit of our own wellbeing. According to the doctors, several countries including India are now regaining normalcy, though the danger of other variants-induced waves of COVID-19 remains.

“India has passed three waves with increasing awareness, vaccine administration, and following COVID norms. But recently we have seen a surge in the number of cases. So, it is important for us to take precautions and be aware of the dos and don’ts for the benefit of our own wellbeing,” the doctors said.

In 2022, the world is marking two years of the pandemic. In late 2020, when several manufacturers announced vaccines within several weeks, hopes soared among the mass that probably the pandemic will have a halt as vaccines can help gain herd immunity quickly. But the reality was, around the world, a part of the population declined or was hesitant to take the Covid vaccines as there were endless confusion and doubts in the minds of people about the efficacy and side effects of vaccines. Vaccine hesitancy was a major reason behind another round of surges in cases in the middle and end of 2021,” they said.

Speaking about the vaccination journey, Dr. Pankaj Bhardwaj, Professor, AIIMS Jodhpur said: “The vaccine development has ensured a lesser number of hospitalizations across the world. As it’s been two years, people tend to take the importance of vaccines for granted and thus ignore the booster shots or go for testing, if any of the symptoms exist. But that should not be the scenario if we aim for a better tomorrow. Through endless research and trials, scientists had delivered multiple vaccines with high efficacy against severe Covid-19. Beyond Government policies, our own safety is our responsibility.”

Meanwhile, the doctors also highlighted that now there are various vaccines for the prevention of COVID-19 that are available in India are Covishield, Sputnik light, Sputnik V, Covaxin, Corbevax.

“India began its Covid-19 vaccination campaign on January 16th, 2021, with the aim of eradicating coronavirus. In India, 91.3 crore people i.e., 66.1% population now have been fully vaccinated. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, currently, more than 88% adult population in India has been fully jabbed against Covid-19, and these populations are also eligible for a booster dose,” Dr. Bhardwaj added.

Apart from Covishield and Covaxin, over 6.5 lakh people who have received Russian made Sputnik V vaccine are also eligible to take a booster shot i.e., Sputnik Light which is able to develop a strong defence against the new heavily mutated Omicron variant, according to Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology.

According to Dr Mrinal Sircar, Director & HOD, Pulmonology & Critical Care, Fortis Hospital Noida said: “We have spent sleepless nights during the first and the second waves for the sake of our patients. We were trying our best to provide 24*7 service so that we can ensure saving as many lives as possible. It will be only justice to our endless effort if people get jabbed as soon as possible.”

“People who have co-morbid issues are at an increased risk of getting infected with COVID-19, they must be prioritized for getting jabbed, not only in the first and second doses but also in the booster shots,” he added.

COVID-19 has taught people to prioritize immunity, health, and wellness. Doctors emphasize preventive healthcare, rather than curative one, & that’s why vaccination and other preventive measures can go a long way, in putting an end to this pandemic, they added.