Editorial Analysis - 22nd July

It’s time for a national vaccination strategy

Context

With several vaccine trials showing promising results, there needs to be an advance planning regarding the administration of vaccine as and when it is available.

Background

The COVID-19 crisis has wreaked havoc on national economies and their health infrastructure.
The medical scientists around the world have been working tirelessly to have a vaccine for the Coronavirus.
Hopes of a vaccine being available by next year have risen on positive news this week from Oxford University’s alliance with drug company AstraZeneca.
Early human trials of their vaccine suggest that it may confer adequate immunity against the illness caused by coronavirus.
Earlier, encouraging results were witnessed in the early-stage trials of vaccine development in China, USA and Russia.
Vaccines by China’s CanSino Biologics and the US-based firm Moderna have also shown a ray of hope.
India will also be starting with the human trials of Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin in the coming few days.

Why do we need a vaccination strategy?

Adequate supply doesn’t ensure that every citizen in need has real and effective access to it, neither does it secure near universal demand for the vaccine to further herd immunity.
It is imperative on the Indian government, therefore, to create a robust vaccination plan and commensurate systems around its delivery to one of the largest and densest populations in the world.
India’s Routine immunisation methodology will be time consuming and inadequate.
India’s routine system is primarily targeted at children below five years and needs an overhaul to cater to all ages

What kind of strategy should India adopt?

A pandemic of such a huge scale and proliferation needs a targeted campaign-styled mass vaccination strategy.
Campaign-styled approach is more immunogenic and demonstrates a dramatic and immediate impact.
India should target both an ‘attack’ strategy through a campaign to attain enough coverage and a ‘maintain’ strategy to ensure all newborns and infants are vaccinated through routine channels.
An attack-contain strategy alone might be unsuccessful in interrupting transmission in India’s because of our rapidly exploding population.

What should be the components of India’s national vaccine strategy?

The Centre must set aside a sizeable budget for a mass vaccination programme.
A proper selection criteria needs to be laid down for the state injected vaccine.
Not only availability but effectiveness, cost calculations, and the ability to produce sufficient quantities of it should also be considered before selecting the vaccine.
Once a vaccine is selected, the Centre should be prepared to invest in new production facilities to meet the demand.
The logistical aspects of vaccine distribution should be worked out to suit a strategic order of priority.
People with the highest risk of coronavirus exposure will have to be administered a vaccine first.
To optimize coverage, bulk loads would have to be dispatched speedily to hotspots across the country.
Subsequent supplies should be sent to emerging infection zones, as forecasted by an analysis of data taken from Aarogya Setu.
Efforts to cover everybody else could follow these steps.

What proportion do we need to cover?

Epidemiologists suggest that “herd immunity" could be achieved once two-thirds of a local population gets vaccinated, but we should aim for a comprehensive vaccination plan.
As a matter of principle, every individual should be a beneficiary.

Way Ahead

We would need a robust and well functioning logistical backbone of a fail-safe cold chain network.
India’s Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network (eVIN) could be used as it is well known for its logistics management.
Outside the box thinking early on can help weave innovations into the organic design of interventions.
Effectively combating the pandemic through vaccination needs to optimise the integration of technology and innovation in planning.
The scale of this challenge may seem daunting, given our population and diversity, but we can recruit an army of healthcare workers and train them in advance for executing the strategy efficiently.
A decentralised system should be devised with the proper allocation of responsibilities.
With efficient coordination and ample funds, we can surely overcome the menace of COVID-19.

Source:

https://www.livemint.com/opinion/online-views/it-s-time-for-a-national-vaccination-strategy-11595342617699.html

https://www.firstpost.com/health/as-world-waits-for-covid-19-vaccine-india-must-use-time-to-build-robust-immunisation-plan-delivery-system-for-last-mile-reach-8546491.html

MCQs based on Editorial Analysis

Q.1: With reference to SARS-CoV-2, consider the following statements

It does not have DNA or RNA.
It belongs to the same family as adenovirus.
ELISA test can be used to detect if the person has been exposed to SARS-CoV-2 in the past.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

1 and 2 only
2 and 3 only
2 only
3 only

Q.2: Consider the following statements:

India is home to the largest number of tuberculosis patients in the world.
No vaccine is available against tuberculosis.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct:
1. 1 Only
2. 2 Only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Mention your answers in the Comment section !