New Delhi: The Indian Medical Association — the largest body of modern medicine doctors — said they would support the government’s efforts to dispel vaccine hesitancy and encouraged doctors across the country to come forward and get vaccinated against Covid-19.
“We have instructed and guided all of our doctors to come out openly and support this programme, wherever it is happening, both in terms of manpower and infrastructure cover,” said IMA National President Dr J.A. Jayalal, in a press conference Friday.
He added: “Our main concern is to dispel any hesitancy on the part of the people to come out openly.”
The IMA has 1,800 branches across the country, and has been vocal about representing doctors’ needs through the Covid-19 pandemic.
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‘Covaxin to produce 62-63% efficacy’
Dr Jayalal also said that he expected Covaxin — the indigenous vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech — to produce 62-63 per cent efficacy, but would “wholeheartedly welcome” anything above 50 per cent efficacy.
Covaxin was granted emergency use authorisation alongside Serum Institute’s Covishield on 2 January, despite not having completed its phase 3 trial. The subject expert committee was criticised for granting approval before an interim analysis was conducted or efficacy data made public.
“The safety part is tested in phase 2, phase 3 is talking about efficacy. The efficacy part, 50 per cent is also pass mark, 100 per cent is also pass mark. Anything above 50 per cent, we are whole heartedly welcoming that,” Jayalal said, adding, “Covaxin has not completed the phase 3 trial, but still it is safe. We are expecting it to produce 62 to 63 per cent efficacy.”
He said the IMA was not “worried about efficacy,” because “anyway we (doctors) are going to the front line, if we are getting any amount of efficacy that is good.”
He further claimed the vaccines approved by the subject expert committee would protect against the UK strain, even though there is no data in the public domain to support this.
“It’s only a small structural change in the virus. The vaccine is absolutely effective against the new strain,” he said.
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Masking still vital
Addressing a question by ThePrint about whether doctors should be given a choice for which vaccine to take, the president said, “The choice will depend on the availability of the vaccine, and that decision will be taken by the government of India.”
Furthermore, he stressed that masking and social distancing have to be followed even after vaccination.
“We would like to tell the public that the first vaccine is still masking, social distancing, and hand washing. Even during vaccination or other treatment, masking and social distancing should be followed,” Jayalal said.
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