Former professor with Vellor Christian Medical College, Dr. Johan said the coronavirus pandemic is nearing its end and is likely to transition to the endemic phase in a month or two.
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Renowned virologist Dr. T Jacob Johan has been addressing many problems about coronavirus since its outbreak.
While speaking to India Today, Dr. Johan said, "Had India planned well, beginning in February-March 2020, we could have used a vaccine to curtail the epidemic. Now curtailing the pandemic is not the need of the hour, but preventing death due to coronavirus is."
Dr. Johan also added that people who are at risk of death must be vaccinated straight away. Secondary priority should be the ones with co-morbidities. "Another challenging need is for a plan for the elimination of the virus from the country, through vaccination, as a model for global eradication. That requires vision and courage of conviction. An obvious need for early vaccination is to reopen educational institutions urgently, with vaccination of all staff and protection of aged parents and grandparents of students," Dr. Johan stated.
The expert also added that the possibility of new strains of coronavirus is real and noted the need to first eradicate the present strain to deal with possible multiple strains.
Saying that he would personally prefer Covaxin over Covishield vaccine, Dr Johan noted about the former: “This is an unprecedented method, but times are unprecedented. The application for Emergency Use Authorization (to Covaxin) has been given but the government is not obliged to purchase the vaccine.”