2 Covid-19 vaccine doses lead to low infection: Study

Dr Neelam Sathe (front), who was diagnosed with Covid-19, said her infection was milder because she had taken both the vaccine shots

A city study shows that people who have got the second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, have a milder case of infection, if they do get attacked by the virus. The data to go with the study has been accumulated for the past three months from SevenHills Hospital, one of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) largest Covid-19 facilities. It added that the hospital stay was shorter for people who got infected after getting vaccinated. Moreover, people who had taken both the shots and had crossed the four-week mark, were found to be asymptomatic.

"Since March, we have treated 23 Covid-19 positive patients, who had taken both the doses and 94 patients, who had taken the first dose," said Dr Balkrishna Adsul, Dean, SHH. He said that out of the 23 Covid-19 patients who had taken both the doses, 12 didn't have any co-morbidities like diabetes, blood pressure, etc. "Most of the patients who have turned positive post taking both the doses are recuperating at home. A very small percentage of them are getting hospitalised," said Dr Adsul. "As per our observation at SHH, patients who have needed hospitalisation, had a shorter hospital stay of less than a week."

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During the data analysis, the doctors at SHH also found that the CT severity score of the lungs was either lesser or nil in patients who had taken both the doses, as compared to the ones who had taken one dose. They also found that out of the 23 patients who had taken both the doses, nine had achieved the four-week breakthrough infection period. "Nine of them who had breakthrough infection had remained asymptomatic. The remaining 16 had fever, body ache and a little cough, but none had breathlessness," said Dr Rajas Walinjkar, head of one of the Covid-19 units in SHH.

Dr Smita Chavhan, additional dean of SHH said the facility presently has three patients admitted who had taken both the doses and turned positive. "We shouldn't hesitate in getting the vaccination. As per the data analysis of people turning positive after getting the vaccination, it is clear that post vaccination, it is important for us to continue and adhere to the COVID-19 safety protocols like wearing masks, following social distancing, and washing our hands frequently," said Dr Chavhan.

SHH, in last three months, has seen only one death of a Covid-19 patient, who had taken both the doses and three deaths of Covid-19 patients, who had taken one dose. "The Covid-19 patient who died after taking both the vaccine doses had co-morbidities and was a 71-year-old man," informed Dr Adsul. Dr Neelam Sathe, associate professor and head of a ENT unit at KEM Hospital, who was recently discharged from SHH after taking both the doses and turning positive, said,

"As I had taken both the doses, I had a mild Covid-19 infection. I advise everyone to take the vaccine shot and protect themselves and their families."