Studies Show Vaccination Reduces Chances Of Hospitalization By 80 Percent: Govt

Citing a study on the prevalence of COVID-19 among children, Paul said it shows that seropositivity above and below 18 years of age is almost equivalent.

New Delhi: Studies have shown that vaccination reduces the chances of hospitalisation by 75-80 percent, while oxygen requirement comes down to 8 percent even after contracting COVID-19, the government said on Friday.

While addressing a press conference, NITI Aayog Member (Health) Dr. V K Paul said in these studies, which have been conducted among healthcare workers who fall in high-risk group, also showed that the risk of ICU admission remains only 6 percent and the protection against infection was 94 percent.

"Lives of thousands of healthcare workers have been saved by vaccination. Studies show that chances of hospitalization reduce by 75-80 percent after vaccination if they contract Covid. The possibility of oxygen requirement is around 8 percent and the risk of ICU admission is only 6 percent. The protection is 94 percent. These are reasonable sample-sized studies and they have been conducted in age groups where maximum risk is there," he was quoted as saying by PTI. 

Paul said that in one particular study, there was one death out of 7,000 cases and it was also because the person had comorbidities.

"Similar studies in other countries have also shown the protection vaccine gives. I request people to please accept the vaccine and not hesitate... people might get infected even after that but it will not turn severe, lives will not be lost and by vaccination thousands and thousands of lives can be saved," he said.

Citing a study on the prevalence of COVID-19 among children, Paul said it shows that seropositivity above and below 18 years of age is almost equivalent.

"Seropositivity rate above 18 years was 67 percent and below 18 years was 59 percent. So even at those places, where the more intense waves came, which were urban, the seropositivity among children and adults remained almost the same," Paul said.

While a majority of healthcare experts predicted the vaccination drive would pick up significantly this year, they cautioned against an early removal of restrictions, as some states have done. On whether children and those under 18 years would be most at risk in a potential third wave, nearly two-thirds of experts in a Reuters poll, or 26 of 40, said yes.

"The reason being they are a completely virgin population in terms of vaccination because currently there is no vaccine available for them," said Dr Pradeep Banandur, head of epidemiology department at National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) according to Reuters.

Joint Secretary in the Health Ministry Lav Agarwal said almost 85 percent decline has been noted in daily new cases of COVID-19 since the highest reported peak on May 7th. Also, 78.6 percent decline has been recorded in the total active Covid cases since the peak reported on May 10th.