Vaccination for healthcare workers has been going on for over four months. (File)
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) had recently said that 244 doctors have died of COVID-19 since the second wave of coronavirus began in April first week in the country. However, only seven of these doctors had been fully vaccinated against the virus. Now Max Healthcare, among the most prominent private hospital chains across India, has stated on the basis of their study that there is no doubt that double vaccine doses do work and save lives.
Across Max hospitals, 13,965 staff members have received both doses of the Covid vaccine and only 6 per cent of them have been infected. Out of these, nine out of every 10 patients recovered at home while one out of every 100 required hospitalisation and only one death was recorded.
The Apollo Healthcare, in a smaller study, found similar results during the first 100 days of the vaccination drive.
The study covered 3,235 healthcare workers -- 2,481 received both doses and 754 received only one dose. About 97.38 per cent of those vaccinated were protected from the infection while there were no ICU admissions or deaths, the study found.
The IMA today released its new data and said 329 doctors have died due to Covid till now amid the second wave.
While the IMA did not share how many of these 329 were vaccinated, the association's president Dr Jayalal said: "We are not confident of the vaccination status of all. But going by the data we get, not being fully vaccinated is the main cause behind the deaths. On an average, we are losing 20 doctors per day. This includes all in government, private and medical colleges."
A total of 1,065 doctors across India have died due to Covid since the beginning of the pandemic. Out of these, 736 doctors had died last year, in the first wave.
Resident doctors at AIIMS in Delhi say they want to be inoculated against Covid immediately as some of them have not received even a single jab. Nearly 200 resident doctors have not received their first vaccine dose yet while other 200 have not got their second dose. The AIIMS resident doctors association has 2,500 members.
Vaccination for healthcare workers has been going on for over four months, since January 16.
Dr Amandeep Singh, President of AIIMS Resident Doctors Association, said: "Vaccination of doctors should be top priority. They should allow walk-ins for those who want their first dose. They are not allowing walk-ins for 18-44 year olds. AIIMS has slots only for 45+ age group. Most of our resident doctors are in the 18-44 age group. Our Resident doctors are unable to get online slots. We have got some verbal assurances but are yet to get a proper solution from AIIMS administration."
On why so many doctors have not been vaccinated till now, Dr Amit Malviya, vice-president of the Resident Doctors Association, said: "Several of our resident doctors got infected with Covid so their second dose got affected. Many MBBS students were back at home and have just joined as resident doctors at AIIMS so they need their first dose. In some cases, there were CoWin issues, their data was not appearing on the portal."
According to the Union Ministry of Health, only 66 per cent of India's healthcare workers have been fully vaccinated till date.