CLOSURE OF EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION TILL VACCINATION FOR COVID-19

Prof. Dr. Narayan Mishra

MD, FIAB, FNCCP, FICS,FIAMS, FIRD;FICAAI,FRCP(Glasgo) FCCP (USA)
Former Prof & HOD Pulmonary Medicine. National past President of Indian Chest Society, Past President National College of Chest Physicians of India.

Posted;ODISHABARTA

BERHAMPUR,08/07/20:One can achieve immunity against an infectious disease in two ways. When someone gets infected and recovers, antibodies are formed due to triggering of the own immune system in the body which fights against the future infection. During subsequent infection,if sufficient amount (titer) of the same antibodies are available in the body or the memory cells in the immune system recognizes the infection and immediately produces the anti bodies to fight against it, the disease is defeated. This is known as natural immunity.On the other hand if a healthy and previously not infected person is given a vaccine (processed live attenuated a weakened form or killed organism), it will not give rise to disease but will trigger the immune system to produce antibodies against that disease. This is known as Vaccine-induced immunity.

We can’t leave our children to acquire the natural immunity (through natural infection) at the cost of many lives. Yet we do not know the exact nature of this new Corona virus which is frequently changing its property and also the exact nature (parthenogenesis) of the disease. In the absence of a vaccine or drug it would be dangerous to seek herd immunity for our children and young adults through natural infection. Few days back again Center for Disease Control (CDC) USA has emphatically given the scientific evidence of very   high risk of transmission of corona virus from social gathering in closed spaces through droplet and as well as fomite/ surface transfer risk due to use of common wash rooms and common areas which is the exact scenario of an educational institution.

Now there is increased number of positive cases of COVID-19 with increased local transmissions in our community which is not traceable indicating possibility of community transmission. Many COVID warriors including doctors are also affected.We should only work strategically basing on the known scientific background. It is quite evident from the world scenario that this infection is going to linger for quite some time with resurgence of infection in absence of specific drug and vaccine.

All the teaching institutions for the children and young adults should remain closed till the availability of vaccine for COVID-19. Also we will have to wait for few weeks for antibodies to be developed after vaccination. We should encourage for virtual classes which is now being conducted by many institutions successfully. At the same time it is worth holding virtual examination/assessment instead of physical one.

It will take quite some time for the vaccine to come out. All vaccines are now in phase I and phase II clinical trial on human beingto see the safety and efficacy of the vaccine. Then we will have phase III trial on more number of persons before it gets final approval for use in mass. In that case if everything goes on well it may take minimum 8 to 9 months to get the vaccine for use. Till that time we must protect our future generation.