India has become one of the fastest countries in the world to vaccinate 70,17,114 beneficiaries under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive. However, despite receiving the vaccine, health workers in Tripura and Mumbai have again tested positive for COVID-19.
On Friday, the Tripura Medical College hospital was declared as a COVID-19 hotspot after 26 of its medical staff tested positive. An official informed that eleven of these health workers had received the first dose of the Covishield vaccine a few weeks ago.
Till now, Tripura is one of the best performing states in the vaccination drive. It has already vaccinated 84 per cent of health workers and 70 per cent of frontline workers.
The outpatient department (OPD) of Tripura Medical College hospital has been closed for 72 hours to stem the spread of the infection, reported NDTV.
The West Tripura District Magistrate, Dr Saliesh Kumar Yadav, has ordered the closure of the OPD after the hospital was declared a hotspot. The Tripura government had closed most of the COVID care centres in the state after the drop in cases. However, this week witnessed a rise in cases yet again.
Tripura is also among the 18 states and Union Territories which have not reported any COVID-19 deaths in the last 24 hours.
A similar case has surfaced in Mumbai where a doctor who received the first dose of COVID vaccine has tested positive for the virus.
A Mumbai civic official shared that a doctor working at a civic-run hospital, who had received the first dose of coronavirus vaccine, contracted the viral infection some days ago and has now recovered.
However, an expert from the Maharashtra government's task force said this was not unusual as even after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, the recipient does not develop immunity immediately.
The 46-year-old doctor, working at BYL Nair hospital, tested positive for the virus nine days after he received the first dose of the Covishield vaccine, said an official of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
Dr Ramesh Bharmal, dean of the hospital, \informed that the doctor has now recovered from the infection and is expected to join work soon.
Till Thursday, around 1.40 lakh health workers and frontline workers had received COVID-19 vaccine doses in Mumbai.
A senior BMC official added that it takes at least 45 days after the second dose to get full immunity, and people should continue to follow safety norms even after receiving the shots.
Also Read: 'Air India Staff Humiliated Me', Says Shooter Manu Bhaker, Airline