Amid latest Covid surge, Delhi doctor emphasises need for booster dose to curb transmission
The doctor informed that most Covid patients admitted now are those who haven't taken both the doses of the vaccination
Precaution or booster Covid-19 vaccine doses will help in curbing the spread of the virus and break the chain of transmission, the medical director of Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) Hospital has stated.
"It (precaution dose) will have a huge impact on the surge. Precaution doses are available for free in the Delhi government hospitals and it will be important for breaking covid transmission chain. We have seen that after nine months immunity veins so precaution dose will be helpful to boost immunity," Dr Suresh Kumar was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
The doctor also informed that most Covid patients admitted now are those who haven't taken both the doses of the vaccination.
"We have seen that after two doses, hospitalisation has reduced. Those who are admitted are those whose vaccination schedule is incomplete. The third dose is important to protect the family and society," he said.
The LNJP MD had earlier warned that if the parents do not take the vaccine, then their children are at a higher risk of the virus.
Covid situation in Delhi
Kumar's statement comes as the number of Covid-19 patients under home isolation across Delhi has seen an over six-fold jump between 11 to 24 April, according to official data.
While the city had 447 home isolation patients on 11 April, the number increased to 504 on 13 April and saw a significant increase to 574 the next day.
On 15 April, it stood at 685, it breached the 700 mark on 16 April and rose to 964 on 17 April. The numbers crossed the 1,000 mark on 18 April to settle at 1,188 and to 1,274 the next day.
As many as 1,574 patients were recuperating in home isolation on 20 April. while the numbers inched close to the 2,000 mark the next day.
In addition to this, the number of patients admitted to hospitals has also increased from 17 to 80 during the period.
Despite this, the Delhi government has assured people that the hospitalisation rate has remained low and accounts for less than three per cent of the total active cases.
Delhi on Monday reported 1,011 fresh Covid-19 cases and one death, while the positivity rate rose to 6.42%. The infection tally in the national capital now stands at 18,75,887 and the death toll at 26,170.
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