[Hayek]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

I would willingly have paid Rs1,000 or even more. But this is not about what people can afford: it is about protecting everyone. Billionaires are not safe until street dwellers are safe. Cost should be zero or nominal and effort should be huge.

Glad you are fine after the second dose.

Agree fully everyone needs to be vaccinated. But we will get production capacity set up only if people will make an adequate ROI on the investment - and letting Serum, Bharat Biotech, Dr Reddy’s etc make money by selling to private sector companies will help get that capacity set up - and make supplies available for the GOI programme. India is not the UK which can pay for everyone from tax revenues - cross subsidies are the way to go.

[am1m]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

I would willingly have paid Rs1,000 or even more, and probably will in future

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

But this is not about what people can afford: it is about protecting everyone.

But isn't that the whole point of privatizing/liberalizing the vaccine supply?

Let those (like most of us on this thread) pay a higher price for the choice to take it when and where they want to (private hospital/right now) and (hopefully) the vaccine they want to take (that will of course depend on supply). For those who can't afford, the state healthcare system/subsidized vaccination options continue. Plus the option for the vaccine makers to make a profit from our shot sales (and I don't see anything wrong with that) should help them offer more doses to the state/global vaccine initiative/subsidized vaccination drives?

Unless I'm missing something, that's how it is supposed to work going forward I thought. I too would gladly pay several times the subsidized price to take it at a less crowded location of choice, and if possible the brand of vaccine I want.

[dragonfire]

Now that the govt has permitted the usage of any vaccine approved by WHO, what other vaccines could become available for us?

I mean, now the private hospitals should be free to procure any vaccine from that list and use. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccine might be difficult to store and transmit owing to the temperature requirements, but the J&J vaccine and the Sputnik sounds viable.

Now that the price embargo on the vaccines have been removed, would we get to see these "better" vaccines on our shores? Also, if that happens, would it be safe for people who already got a dose or two of the current vaccines to get the new ones?

[Hayek]

Phenomenally positive data on vaccination outcomes has just been released. The ICMR has indicated that only 2 - 4 per 10,000 vaccinated people have tested positive so far. This compares with 0.23% of India’s population that has tested positive since mid March or a 80-90% protection rate. The great thing is the high level of protection is present even after the first dose - so the second dose is really just a booster which allows a first doses first strategy to work.

A slide with this data I received from a reliable source is below:



You could interpret this even more positively if you argue that cases among the vaccinated folks are more likely to be detected than cases in the general population.

[racer_ash]

Originally Posted by am1m

Let those (like most of us on this thread) pay a higher price for the choice to take it when and where they want to (private hospital/right now) and (hopefully) the vaccine they want to take

If that option is provided to the Pharma cos, who do you think they would supply vaccines to? Such an option will ensure the people who cannot afford the full costs to need to run around vaccination centers for their dose of the free vaccine because the pharma companies are more than happy to supply vaccines at prices the privileged class can afford.

Its akin to the US, UK, EU and Australian governments hoarding vaccines just because they are able to pay fat amounts to the pharma cos.

Ofcourse, if our esteemed govt. puts a cap on the number of vaccines supplied via the non-subsidy route, there may be some control. But knowing our govt. and its veto power (or lack of it), fat chance that this will happen.

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by Hayek

Phenomenally positive data on vaccination outcomes has just been released. The ICMR has indicated that only 2 - 4 per 10,000 vaccinated people have tested positive so far.

This is what’s being told by authorities.

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/coro...ndtv_topscroll

I know multiple cases (from my very small circle) where people have got one or both doses and still getting infected. This number is large, for sure. But the consensus is that everyone who has got, post vaccination, is recovering and no one required hospitalization.

So, anyone who is undecided, should go and get vaccinated at earliest possible

[Osteon206]

I wanted to share some useful information regarding COVID treatment apart from the supportive medications and oxygen.
Moderators, kindly merge this to the appropriate thread.

I would like to emphasize the need of patient positioning to improve ventilation to all areas of the lung to aid in better oxygenation during the period of home quarantine. For the oxygen saturation to improve, at first oxygen should be able to reach all the areas of the lung. The same will be advised at the hospital also for patients who are not intubated.
This is done primarily by a few methods which I have described below.
CONSCIOUS PRONING
This involves positioning by the patient as illustrated in the picture below. The patient is required to lie down on the stomach for 1 hour, then for 30 minutes on tej right side side followed by 30 minutes of sitting with the back at an angle of 30°-60° for 30 minutes, then lying on the left side for 30minutes and finally lying on the stomach again for 30 minutes. All this while it is necessary to remain awake. This entire procedure takes about 3 hours for each cycle. This must be done a minimum of twice a day. The patients can keep themselves occupied with either work or entertainment in order to not doze off.

Incentive spirometry
This is another method to improve ventilation. It's essentially a breathing exercise to increase the forc d inspiratory lung volume. This must be done for about 10 minutes once every 2 hours. Sharing a picture of how the device looks and a video about how to use it (youtube video by Science sir).

https://youtu.be/SWQA93wdT-k

Apart from this you could do Pranayama too.
Conscious proning can be done by members living in the same household too even though you are asymptomatic or not tested because literature and experts suggest that the infectivity rate of the double strain is much higher in the household compared to last year. I personally experienced this - last year when I was positive, my wife didn't contract it. But now despite following strict guidelines a friend after turning positive was isolated and his family followed all the precautions but still contracted COVID though he was asymptomatic.
Another thing I would suggest if you have a pulse oximeter or a smart watch that records saturation is to not monitor saturation continuously. Monitor twice or thrice a day, otherwise there will be unnecessary excessive anxiety. You can follow the mentioned steps. Monitor once in the morning, then you can do some brusque walking within your isolation room for about 5 minutes and then record the saturation again - a drop of more than 5% compared to pre-exercise level is significant.
Another recommendation is for smokers to cut down or considering quitting since the already compromised lungs will not handle the viral insult as well as a healthy lung.

All the above suggestions are based on literature, expert advice, my experiences as a doctor and as a patient.
If anyone has any doubt please feel free to DM me. I don't take consultation fee for treating COVID from anybody. I am primarily an Orthopedic surgeon but have been treating many friends, family members and friends of friends since a year now in the prehospitalisation stage. I was also a volunteer in a two week fever clinic initiative taken up by Mysore city corporation last year. So please let me know if you have any queries, always happy to help.

[am1m]

Originally Posted by racer_ash

If that option is provided to the Pharma cos, who do you think they would supply vaccines to?

Yeah, fair point. But I'm hoping that the fact they can make a profit will incentivize them to manufacture more and also make it more palatable for vaccine manufacturers to supply more doses for the subsidized vaccination programs, both local and global. And isn't there some sort of clause already, 50% of supply to be marked for government vaccination programs? Again, I'm hoping that the availability of the vaccine in private hospitals will shift the crowd that can afford it to those locations and leave the government and subsidized locations freed up for those who need it.

Let's hope it does work that way and the vaccination is guided by the principle that "until we are all safe, none of us is". We'll know pretty quickly I guess after seeing the vaccination numbers after a few months, fingers crossed.

[any23]

My father aged 62 got vaccinated on 18th March 2021 with Covishield, had mild symptoms such as pain at the vaccination spot, mild fever, and tiredness.

I was very skeptical for him getting vaccinated, as it's a new vaccine and still more research and data analysis is required to establish the vaccines available(e.g. earlier the second dose was advised at 4-6 weeks now it is been advised at 6-8 week, this I think shows vaccines are not studied completely). And as far as data is concerned it can be manipulated. I am of the view to wait n watch, and use the primary defense Mask-Sanitizer-Social distance to keep ourselves safe from the pandemic.

But, as my father lives at my hometown and as I am unable to convince him even after repeated arguments over phone to stay at home and indoors unless it's a dire need to go out. My father keeps commuting from city to village and vice-versa on regular basis for silly reasons sometimes, that too by public transport even after my strict instructions to use the driver and car available at our home.

If he would have been with me here at my place I would have not advised him to get vaccinated, as I am still skeptical about the vaccines.

Well after reading 27 pages of comments and feedbacks here on this forum I am getting some confidence and feeling positive about the vaccine, as I said I want real world feedback, and I am getting it here. Will follow this thread closely to gain more confidence regarding getting vaccinated when it's available.

[Akshay6988]

Originally Posted by am1m

I too would gladly pay several times the subsidized price to take it at a less crowded location of choice, and if possible the brand of vaccine I want.

First let me be clear that I fully trust in science and our scientists who have worked very hard to get the vaccines at earliest. I do know that vaccines works and they help prevent the spread of covid or rather any diseases for that matter. I have not yet taken any vaccine because as per government guidelines I was not eligible for the same (my age being below 45). I was hoping to get vaccinated this month but seeing the current situation, I've postponed it for indefinite time. Once the number of cases drops down and there's no crowding at vaccination center, I'd get vaccinated. I am having same opinion as am1m posted above. I would gladly pay more to have vaccine of my choice and take it at place of my convenience, preferably at home.
So I've not yet voted on this poll either. I'm reiterating that I'm all in for vaccination, just not ready to take it yet. Hope no one judges me for the same, I just felt there are many like me, so I thought I would share my two cents.

[yosbert]

I know of at least 4-5 people in my father's circle who have contacted the disease after getting vaccinated (mostly after first dose). So it is very hard for me to believe the data that government has released yesterday.
However this is no way to imply that the vaccines are ineffective. On the contrary I believe that the vaccines are doing their job since in none of the cases there were any complications beyond the initial mild symptoms. And mind you these were all cases in 70+ aged senior citizens. So I believe the vaccines are doing their intended job which is to protect against serious complications of the disease requiring hospitalization. The vaccines were never meant to prevent contacting the disease 100%.

[srini1785]

Registrations for 18 and above open from Saturday in cowin site

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/coro...-ndtv_bigstory

My expectation is that the site would crash within the next few minutes but i would try anyway.

[aniketvu]

Originally Posted by racer_ash

Ofcourse, if our esteemed govt. puts a cap on the number of vaccines supplied via the non-subsidy route, there may be some control. But knowing our govt. and its veto power (or lack of it), fat chance that this will happen.

https://www.rediff.com/news/report/a...1/20210419.htm

Please go through the news properly. 50% of any vaccine production has to be given to the Central Government who will supply it for free through its network. Only the other 50% can be sold to other parties at whatever rates they negotiate.

So many of the political parties announced free vaccines as election tactics. Let them fund the vaccines for everyone in their states now out of their own budgets and not rely on center.

[tbppjpr]

My elder brother got two shots of the vaccine a month ago since he works in Hospital.

Recently my brother, his wife and daughter got infected but the test report declared only two of them positive and my brother with same symptoms got declared negative. (I strongly believe the vaccine record contributes in the medical test report to favour the vaccine publicity)

Later the health condition of my brother got deteriorated and he got tested again and found positive this time.

Current situation is brother had to get admitted in hospital and getting treated at there, rest of the two family members are home isolated and recovering with mild symptoms and fever left. These two family members were not eligible for vaccine so did not get that.

[itwasntme]

Originally Posted by Hayek

Phenomenally positive data on vaccination outcomes has just been released.

The trend broadly matches the experience in our estate which currently has 30+ live cases. No one who is fully vaccinated has caught it and nor anyone who took the first dose (only) + took precautions.

Those down are either not vaccinated at all OR took the first dose and started partying, and infected others in superspreader events.

This too shall pass.