Chance of vaccine failure against COVID variants ruled out

LAHORE:The Corona Experts Advisory Group (CEAG), on Thursday, ruled out chance of vaccine failure against COVID-19 variants.

“The vaccines are effective against changes in the virus despite identification of 23 changes in the virus with eight mutations in a year since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic in the province,” said Prof Dr Tahir Yaqoob during a press briefing here on Thursday.

Tahir Yaqoob said that Pakistan has the capacity to detect all the COVID-19 variants. He informed that Sinopharm vaccine is based on inactive virus and is considered to be very effective, whereas rest of the vaccines are RNA based and their results are yet to be determined.

Dr Javed Hayat Khan, Consultant Pulmonologist, said that South African and UK variants, although have greater transmission rate, but are not more dangerous than the actual virus. He observed that the second wave of COVID-19 is same as the first wave of the virus, adding that the mortality rate in the second wave is recorded less than the first wave in Punjab.

The Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department (P&SHD), Punjab, Secretary Captain (retd) M Usman said that no UK variant case has been reported in Punjab but all flights for UK and South Africa are under observation and are tested. “The positive samples are sent to NIH to identify the variants,” he added. The Secretary informed that the vaccination plan has been devised and is divided into three phases. In the first phase, the most vulnerable will be vaccinated i.e. frontline healthcare professionals and people abovethe age of 65 years. In second phase, the vaccination will be administered for all healthcare professionals and people above the age of 60 years. In third phase, the vaccination plan will include the remaining population.

He informed that the schools will be opened in phases as per previous practice and will be monitored. “All educational institutes will open with the compliance of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs),” he added.

Prof Dr Mahmood Shaukat said that all precautionary measures will continue to be taken against the virus even with the availability of COVID-19 vaccines. He informed that antigen testing is less reliable as compared to the PCR testing, which is not only cost efficient but the margin of error is less than the antigen testing. Antigen testing costs around Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,600, whereas PCR test costs only Rs 755.