Friends, let’s have a little more patience, let’s not give in to the pandemic fatigue, let’s not lower our guard and we will beat it soon. We all have been through a lot, for a long time.
Just imagine, by next year we will be talking about this COVID-19 scare as a bad dream that we all experienced, the sense of satisfaction we will have of having survived through it, and to know that once again the whole world is a safe place.
VACCINE UPDATE —
Here is a comprehensive take on the vaccines in the pipeline.
*Pfizer /BioNTech and *Moderna are the genetic vaccines, both are mRNA-based, very effective but in the long term, they might have an effect on our genetic makeup. SCARY!
They can be manufactured on large scale in a short time.
We Indians are not very bullish about them as they have not been tried in India, also there is no network for distribution of these vaccines in India.
*OXFORD and SPUTNIK, both are live vaccines, where a very weak virus is injected into our body, our system produces antibodies in response to the weak virus.
Both have tied up with Indian partners for manufacturing and distribution.
The technology is just like that of the Ebola vaccine, MMR, small pox, all tried and tested.
These vaccines give us almost 95% protection from the virus.
Oxford vaccine remains viable only when stored between 2-8 degree Celsius and the Sputnik at minus 18 C (quite manageable) while Pfizer requires minus 70 degree C temperature, so difficult to achieve in India. Moderna needs to be stored at 2-4 degree C.
And our totally indigenous vaccine COVAXIN developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with ICMR is in the final stage of human trials, it is 60% effective but then we have been happily using the FLU shots, that are only about 40-60% effective.
So, Dearies this is the VACCINE story in nutshell.
WHEN WILL WE GET IT?
Now the next important question, when can we, the common junta hope to get it?
Even if the Government manages things very well, friends, we cannot hope to get it before March/April 2021, and, that is the best-case scenario!
HOW TO MANAGE TILL THEN?
Friends, in the meantime, the only weapons in our arsenal are the MASKS, SOCIAL DISTANCE, and THE SANITISERS/HANDWASH. Do keep in mind the risk factor if we slip up. I read somewhere a beautiful couplet: – I sneeze, you fall sick…..You sneeze, I fall sick. Both wear mask…. both are safe!
Cold weather, weddings, funerals, and social gatherings are the major points of infection. Try to remain in your own safe bubble, the group of people with whom you can have close physical contact. Keep your bubble tight, stay vigilant, it’s not rude to politely refuse to meet people out of your safe circle, and please don’t engage in formalities.
If you have a loss of smell, or loss of sense of taste, these are symptoms of COVID-19 Loss of common sense is not a symptom of COVID-19, it is the reason you got the disease.
Friends, we have come so far because we were careful, so, all the more reason for us to be doubly cautious.
Now , we can see the light at the end of the tunnel,
hold on till then,
Renuka.