Srinagar: Asserting that vaccination of the entire eligible population would inhabit severity of third COVID-19 wave, a Health Expert on Monday said that if all the adults in a family get vaccinated, the chances of children getting infected is highly unlikely, as vaccinated parents would become a shield for the kids.
”Everything about the emergence of third COVID-19 wave, its severity and impact on children, has been talked about on social media but there is equal possibility of preventing or suppressing it, by ensuring cent percent vaccination of the entire population,” Public Health consultant Dr Rouf said.
He said the strategy of vaccination of the entire population must be implemented properly without leaving behind any eligible individual. ”This will increase the defence mechanism against new infection in the body and nullify chances of catching virus again,” he said while elaborating on the benefits of vaccination.
Dr Rouf maintained that infodemic needs to be curbed which induces fear and COVID vaccination phobia among the people. He advised educated people to cross check the source of news from the Google to ascertain veracity of content of news which will help them not to fall for fake stories.
He said that the research regarding COVID vaccination for children is being conducted in many countries and added that if vaccination for children is allowed in near future, then the process shall be taken on priority basis. This, he said, will protect children from the deadly disease.
”The data regarding the second wave shows adults as well as children have developed immunity against the virus and children remained mostly unaffected except some children with co-morbidity diseases. However, the intensity of the third wave and its adverse impact depends on the mutation of corona virus and behavior of new variants viz-a-viz propagation and severity of infection,” Dr Rouf explained.
Moreover, he said that people need to bring about behavioral changes in themselves corresponding to COVID, like developing the habit of mask wearing and washing of hands frequently. ”This will protect us, in case we may have to live with COVID for a few more years,” he added.
Dr Rouf rejected the claims of some people regarding feeling suffocated while wearing masks, saying that there was an advisory for wearing double mask and it is not appropriate to make such excuses.
The Public health consultant said that he has been working in the COVID for one-and-a-half year and yet he never got infected by the virus because of vaccination and observance of Covid guidelines, particularly wearing of masks.
Besides, he emphasised that the COVID guidelines issued by the government time and again like maintaining physical distance, wearing of mask and washing of hand with soap, shall have to be followed without any lethargy.
