Seniors rushing for 2nd dose, don’t want to wait six weeks

Seniors rushing for 2nd dose, don’t want to wait six weeks

Sunitha.Rao@timesgroup.com

Bengaluru:17.04.2021 

In a bid to beat infection with cases surging, many seniors are rushing to take the second dose of the vaccine after just four weeks of the first dose, although the central government, on March 22, had advised all states to increase the interval between doses to 6-8 weeks.

A total 29,03,117 senior citizens in Karnataka have received the first dose since March 1. Of them, 1,22,983 or 4.2% have already taken the second dose. In the 45-60 years category, nearly 47,000 have taken the second dose.

Hospitals say they are seeing a trend of senior citizens wanting to take the second dose at the earliest to gain immunity. The vaccine is more effective if the interval between doses is eight weeks, but shortage of doses is a concern. Doctors say many senior citizens are only looking to prevent a severe infection and not the infection itself.

“Should we contract the virus and suffer, or should we get the second dose and be as safe as possible?” asked a 74-year-old man from Koramangala, who got the second dose on Thursday. A 55-yearold man on dialysis said: “We read about vaccine shortage every day. Why take the risk?”

Dr Ashwin Kulkarni, associate professor, MS Ramaiah medical college hospital, said: “What is needed is awareness on vaccination efficacy and the reason why the government increased the spacing. The guidelines keep changing. Most understand when we explain why.” He admitted some seniors got the second dose after just four weeks as they had travel plans.

Manufacturers of Covishield say, efficiency of the vaccine is 53.2 % if the second dose is taken after four weeks. This increases to 60.5% if the interval is 9-11 weeks. If the space between doses is 12 weeks or more, efficacy increases to 78.7%.

For Covaxin, however, the spacing between doses remains at four weeks. However, very few people have been given Covaxin.

On the rush to get fully inoculated, Dr Srivatsa Lokeshwaran, consultant, interventional pulmonology, Aster CMI hospital, said: “Fear is a major factor here. No vaccine is 100% efficacious. In my view, given the current surge, if someone wants the second dose after four weeks, s/he should be given it. The need is to vaccinate as many people possible and quickly as possible.”

He said if 70 people out of 100 get vaccinated, it is still good enough in the current scenario. “The remaining 30% will get indirect immunity as the transmission chain breaks because people are vaccinated,” said Dr Lokeswaran.

WANT IT NOW: Shortage of doses is spooking people who want to ward off a severe infection

KSE admits vax shortage in Shivamogga

District minister KS Eshwarappa, who on Friday held a review meeting with health department officials in Shivamogga, admitted the vaccination drive in the district is faltering due to shortage of doses. Eshwarappa said, so far, 1.7 lakh people got the first dose and 18,000 people were fully inoculated with both doses. He said the district would need another seven lakh doses to inoculate all above 45 years. “If people cannot get the jab on the due date, they will be allowed to get it on another day,” Eshwarappa said. “Health department staff will keep beneficiaries informed.” TNN