Dr. L H Hiranandani Hospital demanded booster shot for Healthcare Staff

 

L.H Hiranandani Hospital, Powai Demanded booster shot

Dr. L H Hiranandani Hospital, Powai is the first to demand the government seek booster shots for healthcare staff. Several healthcare workers and politicians were demanding Co-Win to take the third shot last week, fearing the depletion in their antibody levels. 

The third shot against Covid-19 has not been allowed by the center yet. However, some countries have allowed a booster shot for healthcare workers. In India, the center is focusing on the universal vaccination of the citizens and said that booster shots are not a priority.

Dr. Sujit Chatterjee, CEO of Hiranandani Hospital said that it’s been six months since health workers and staff took a second shot of the vaccine. But in more than 80% of the staff members, the efficacy of vaccines has been reduced and in most of them, it has become nil as of today. 

He also added that the government's policies are logical and understandable but frontline workers should also be protected. Healthcare workers and staff are just a tiny portion of the population, so he feels that the booster jab can only be restricted to them. 

Various hospital heads support the idea of a third shot for healthcare workers but they are waiting for the decision from the government. This problem of taking booster shots was also discussed by the Association of Hospitals (AOH), which includes Mumbai’s major trust-running hospitals.

Dr. V Ravishankar, COO of Lilavati Hospital said that at the moment, the Association of Hospitals will not approach the center for booster shots. The need for the third shot is still being studied by the government. Though healthcare staff is measuring the antibody levels, there is also something known as cell-mediated immunity that must be considered. Most of the countries have considered prioritizing third shots only for those with immune deficiencies and hospitals are watching the emergency evidence closely. 

Israel's experience is the greatest example of breakthrough infections where 78% of the population for over 12 years was being vaccinated but still, the country reported higher infection rates.

Dean of KEM hospital, Hemant Deshmukh said that breakthrough infections are being reported among healthcare workers, but they are a handful. Out of every five positive cases, one or two of them would be of breakthrough infections.