'One in nine health workers experienced a Covid-19 after two doses ’

The data were collected through telephonic interviews during a period of 7 days from 31 May to 6 June by several trained investigators

Ground Report | New Delhi: Nearly one in nine healthcare workers in the current study experienced a COVID-19 breakthrough infection, a study conducted by faculty members of a government medical college stated. A preprint of the study published online read that the study conducted by the Faculty of Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC), Delhi Government, 36 out of 326 healthcare workers in a Delhi hospital, who were part of the study, had COVID19 infection.

A total of 36 (11%, 95% CI 8.1, 14.9) success infections were reported in HCW. The mean (IQR) time to the incidence of COVID-19 infection since receiving the second dose of either the COVID-19 vaccine was 46 (28.2, 54.7) days. In addition, COVID-19 infection occurred in 65 (19.9%, 95% C.I 15.9, 24.6) HCWs vaccinated with at least one dose of the vaccine but before or 14 days after the second dose, a preprint of the study published online read.

ALSO READ: RAMDEV’S U-TURN: WILL TAKE COVID-19 VACCINE, DOCTORS ARE GOD’S MESSENGERS

Most successful infection cases (94.4%) were mild and did not require supplemental oxygen therapy. HCWs with a previous history of natural COVID-19 infection were 4.5 times less likely to be cured and experience a COVID-19 infection after partial vaccination.

The data were collected through telephonic interviews during a period of 7 days from 31 May to 6 June by several trained investigators using the following sources in consecutive order: (i). Registration records of all health workers vaccinated at the Covaxin administration site within the college campus during February-March 2021 (ii). Records of medical interns affiliated to MAMC who were vaccinated between January-March 2021.

These infections were diagnosed on RT-PCR, Ag test, and clinical suspicion in 50 (76.9%), 3 (4.6%), and 12 (18.5%) cases, respectively. Severity of COVID-19 infection 59 (90.8%) cases required home isolation only, while there were 6 (9.2%) moderate cases that required supplemental oxygen therapy, it further reads.

“Strains different from passing on immunity created by the vaccine, Therefore, even after vaccination, we have to be careful,” said Pragya Sharma, professor in the Department of Community Medicine, MAMC, who is one of the authors of the study.

ALSO READ: DIGITAL PRIDE FESTIVAL 2.0: INSTAGRAM, THE QUEER MUSLIM PROJECT PARTNER UP

In this study, natural infection and a history of recovery were compared to subsequent COVID19 infection or HCW. Those considered to be protective against reinfection were given at least one dose of the COVID19 vaccine. The study also cautioned that since the infection status of HCWs was based on self-report, most symptomatic success infections diagnosed with RTPCR testing were likely to be caught, while asymptomatic infections were potentially discarded.

The strength of the study is that it was conducted in a real-world setting, including an observational period covering the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Delhi, when health systems were overwhelmed, resulting in large-scale HCWs. But viral exposure was either provided outpatient. or inpatient treatment services, it further reads.

You can connect with Ground Report on Facebook, Twitter, and Whatsapp, and mail us at [email protected] to send us your suggestions and writeups.