KOLKATA: A major reason behind the sharp drop in vaccination across Kolkata’s private hospitals is that thousands — who had Covid during the third wave in January or suffered from symptoms of the virus but didn’t get tested — have deferred their jabs for three months as per the rule. It has prompted the state health department to consider a suggestion from experts that the three-month rule be altered now as the virus may have turned endemic.
Even as private hospitals struggle to exhaust their vaccine stocks, they also pointed out that the mild infection during the third wave has also dissuaded many senior citizens, who are now eligible for their third dose, health workers and those aged between 15-18 years from taking the shot.
At Peerless Hospital, the number of daily vaccinations has dropped to 40 on an average. “Almost every second senior citizen had symptoms in January but a large number of them never got tested. So, they have obviously assumed that they had Covid and deferred the shot. Some others are willing to wait and watch since the infection has lost virulence and severity,” said Peerless Hospital CEO Sudipta Mitra.
Some hospitals and laboratories are advising those, who had symptoms but didn’t get tested, to wait for at least one-and-half-months. “Most of those, who had symptoms, might have been positive. So, as per the ICMR guideline, they should wait for three months or at least six weeks,” said Peerless Hospital microbiologist Bhaskar Narayan Chowdhury.
He added that the fear has disappeared with the ebbing of the third wave. “Many believe that they should delay their booster dose, now that there is no wave or infection spread,” said Chowdhury.
RN Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Sciences (RTIICS), which is now administering 80-100 doses a day, has rarely been getting senior citizens for the booster dose. “We had expected a rush but people have stopped coming. The number of recipients in 15-18 age group has also dropped for a number of reasons, including vaccination at schools. But many senior citizens have deferred their jab because they had symptoms,” said RTIICS zonal head R Venkatesh.
He added that the hospital has not been able to use even two vials of Covaxin a day. Each vial contains 10 doses. “The 15-18 age group can only receive Covaxin. As they are staying away, there are hardly any takers,” Venkatesh said.
It’s time to reconsider the three-month rule and make the booster dose an annual affair like the ordinary influenza vaccine, felt CMRI Hospital director of pulmonology Raja Dhar. “Since a majority of our citizens had Covid last month, it has been suggested to the government that the three-month gap rule for those testing positive now needs to be relaxed. We will probably see its withdrawal soon,” said Dhar.
