IMA Joins The Growing Call To Vaccinate All Adults As 2nd Wave Of COVID Spirals Out Of Control

India is in the grip of a deadly and rapid-spreading second wave of COVID-19 and states are reporting more new cases than at the peak of the first wave last year.

On Tuesday India recorded 96,982 new Covid cases, a day after the daily tally crossed the one lakh mark for the first time.

Of these, 47,288 cases were reported in Maharashtra. While cases in Chhattisgarh scaled a new high of 7,302, and the count in Karnataka crossed the 5,000-mark. The country¡¯s active case tally now stands at 7,88,223. While 164 people died in Maharashtra, 72 deceased in Punjab. The country¡¯s cumulative count climbed up to 1,26,86,049, while the death toll stands at 1,65,547.

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Health experts have said that the number of new infections will continue to rise in the coming days before it comes down.

As the cases continue to rise at an alarming pace there is a growing demand across the country to vaccinate the most number of people.

Vaccinate all above 18

The Indian Medical Association has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi suggesting that vaccination be allowed for all people above the age of 18 years.

"At present, we are vaccinating the population above 45 years. In view of the rapid spread of the second wave of the disease, we suggest that our vaccination strategy be geared up with immediate effect and on war footing," the Indian Medical Association (IMA) said in its letter to the prime minister.

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The doctors' body said that "we request following suggestions in the COVID-19 vaccination drive -- all citizens above 18 years of age shall be permitted to receive COVID vaccination and walk-in COVID vaccination should be available for all, free of cost at their nearest possible place".

The IMA also suggested that private sector family clinics should be included actively in the vaccination drive along with private hospitals.

Making vaccination certificate mandatory for entering public places and receiving products under the public distribution system, was also part of the suggestions made by the association.

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The IMA stated that the pandemic's second wave surge is reaching record highs and added that "vaccination against COVID-19 stands as a single evidence-based resource for us to restrict cases by raising the personal immune response and pave the way for herd immunity to decrease the severity of the disease".

It said that the availability of vaccination with all doctors and family physicians will have a positive impact on the inoculation drive.

District level vaccine task force teams should be constituted with public and private participation to enforce mass vaccination, to monitor and mitigate adverse drug events and to build confidence, the IMA suggested and added that it is willing to actively take part in it.

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Earlier, several state chief ministers including Yogi Adityanath, Arvind Kejriwal and Amarinder Singh had written to the PM urging to make the vaccines available to all.

Until now only those above the age of 45 are eligible to receive the vaccine.

Many who have comorbidities, but are below the age of 45 have questioned the logic and appealed to vaccinate them too.

To prevent third wave

However, health experts say that vaccinating more people will not in any way help in controlling the spread of the second wave. This is because the two vaccines are taken eight weeks apart and only around 45 days after the second dose the recipient becomes immune to the virus. They also say that the vaccine also may result in a false sense of safety and people may fail to adhere to COVID-19 safety norms. They however said that vaccinating more people will help in preventing the third wave.