Seven Steps To Beat Third Wave

How we can reduce the next big bout of Covid to just a common cold

- Devi Shetty

Symptoms of Covid in a few vaccinated patients can be more than the common cold but it is very unlikely that they will land in the ICU. So while in some countries the third wave has been worse than the second wave, global experience is proving again and again that vaccination protects. Today we have the option to convert a dreaded Covid third wave into just a ‘Covid third wave of common cold’ – by vaccination.

We should singularly focus on how to vaccinate 64 crore people quickly. I trust our government under the leadership of the PM will arrange an adequate number of vaccines. Next, if vaccination becomes a community effort, we can vaccinate 1 crore Indians every day.

1. The central government should procure Indian and foreign vaccines at the best possible price quickly. As about 14% of India’s heart surgery is done by our group, we understand the power of economies of scale for negotiation. And this is not just about multinational vaccine manufacturers. As private hospitals have begged the Indian manufacturers to sell vaccines to them, a vaccine developed in India by Indian scientists and sponsored by the Indian government and manufactured by an Indian company is now more expensive than most American vaccines.

The government is already buying 75% of the supply of Indian manufacturers; it should make this 100% and then for private hospital supply the government can pay more for the vaccine.