One Dose of Covid Vaccine 96.6% Effective Against Virus, 2nd Dose 97.5%: Govt | 10 Points

The effectiveness of coronavirus vaccines against death is 96.6 percent with one dose, and 97.5 percent with two doses, said the health ministry referring to vaccine efficacy data against mortality from April to August this year. V K Paul, member of Niti Aayog and the head of Covid-19 task force, said vaccination is the most important shield against the virus. In a briefing today, Paul appealed people to get the second dose of vaccine.

Here are the top 10 points from the health ministry’s coronavirus briefing:

• Dr Balram Bhargava, head of the Indian Council of Medical Research, said that low-key festival celebrations should be encouraged. “Avoid mass gatherings. If we are low key this year, we’ll be able to celebrate festivities next year,” he said in the briefing.
• A Covid-19 vaccine tracker that synergises data giving a week by week update of doses is being developed, said Dr Bhargava. “It will be up on the Health Ministry’s website in a few days’ time,” he said.
• As much as 58% of the adult population have been vaccinated with the first dose and 18% have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.
• In the wake of D2 dengue fever cases in Uttar Pradesh, especially in children, the ministry cautioned people to avoid water stagnation and to stay away from mosquitoes. “Mosquito-borne diseases are on the rise we need to be careful. Dengue has serious, fatal complications and there is no vaccine. We must fight against these illnesses alongside Covid,” said Paul.
• The second wave is not yet over in India, said Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan.
• While Kerala is the only state to have over 1 lakh active cases, states such as Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh each have over 10,000 active cases.
• The weekly positivity rate is less than 3% for the tenth consecutive week.
• However, 35 districts in India have been recording over 10% positivity.
• Kerala’s coronavirus cases made up 68.59% of the total cases reported in the country over the last week.
• Sikkim, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Mizoram, Uttarakhand, Daman & Diu, Lakshadweep, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, and Tripura have vaccinated more than 85% of the population aged above 18 years.

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