WORLD IMMUNIZATION DAY – 10th November 2020

New Delhi, November 10, 2020: Every year on November 10th, World Immunization Day is celebrated to create awareness among people about the significance of getting vaccinations for vaccine-preventable diseases on a timely basis.

COVID 19 vaccine – Typically it takes years of research for a vaccine to be available for use of the general public. But for COVID 19 vaccine scientists all over the world are working day and night to have a vaccine by next year. Researchers are testing 50 vaccines in clinical trials on humans and there are many more in preclinical trials. The first vaccine safety trials in humans started in March, and now 10 have reached the final stages of testing. Definitely many of these vaccines will fail or cause severe side effects but still there are good chances that a few may succeed in being safe and effective against COVID 19. There are some who believe that like dengue, HIV viruses which still do not have a vaccine, there is a very small chance that we may not have an effective vaccine anytime soon.

Even as the whole world is eagerly awaiting for a vaccine against COVID 19, the immunization for the regular vaccines has dropped significantly worldwide. COVID 19 is disrupting life-saving immunization services around the world, putting millions of children – in rich and poor countries alike – at risk of diseases like polio, diphtheria, measles and others. This stark warning comes from the World Health Organization and UNICEF. Since March 2020, routine childhood immunization services have been disrupted on a global scale that may be unprecedented since the inception of expanded programs on immunization (EPI) in the 1970s. In India the emphasis is now on COVID 19 treatment and prevention and because of this the local immunization like organization of vaccination days or door to door campaigns have suffered. Vaccination services were being provided only at the Primary Health Centers, District Hospitals, Medical colleges etc, in the early months of lockdown.

A situation like this has a direct impact on lowering the immunization coverage as people in far flung areas find it difficult to visit the required health facilities. Even now with almost full immunization services available, there is a remarkable drop in routine immunizations in both government and private sector. This may significantly decrease the immunity level of the population against vaccine preventable diseases. There is a serious risk of an outbreak of diseases like measles, diphtheria after the pandemic.

In order to prevent these outbreaks the immunization programmers should continue like before. Most hospitals have a separate OPD for any fever or COVID suspect cases and the immunization area allows entry of only healthy babies/ children. The parents need to be assured that the risk of COVID transmission during vaccination is almost negligible but missing the vaccine can definitely increase the child’s risk of being infected with vaccine preventable diseases.

Government should have campaigns to strengthen the immunization. It should be highlighted and emphasized through various platforms the need for parents to continue regular immunizations for their children even during COVID 19 pandemic. If and when the COVID vaccine comes the government has the mammoth task to ensure vaccination for everyone and simultaneously also cover the pending demand of regular vaccinations.

Corporate Comm India (CCI Newswire)