Kathmandu: Post-vaccine era would become much more relaxing as the third wave of the pandemic would not be as deadly as the first and second wave, public health experts and officials say.
According to the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP), nearly one-third of the population has been vaccinated in Nepal so far, while over 15 percent have already received full doses of vaccines. The country has an estimated population of 30 million.
The government has announced that it will inoculate its entire population eligible for vaccination by mid-April 2022.
“We are going to enter the post-vaccination era soon,” said Dr Sher Bahadur Pun, virologist at Sukraraj Tropical & Infectious Diseases Hospital, Teku.
“In this era, people will certainly be infected from the virus but they will not fall ill seriously. The number of infections will definitely go down because of the developed herd immunity as vaccines will boost our immunity by some 50 to 80 percent.”
Dr Pun further said that fewer people becoming serious means they wouldn’t have to face difficulties getting admitted to hospitals. “It will help save their lives,” said Dr Pun. “We are moving to safer zones. However, we have yet to see death rates and effectiveness of vaccines.”
The age-wise data of tested cases shows that the number of infected children below 10 years of age is only about 2,000, while that of elderly people above 80 years is about 1,000. The data shows that the highest number of infected people fall between 31 and 40 years of age; those between 21 and 30 are the highest infected.
According to the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP), the total cases of COVID-19 reached 794,163 on September 29. Of total cases, 11,123 people have died of the pandemic; there are 18,193 active cases in Nepal now. A total of 764,847 have recovered from the disease.
The age-wise data of tested cases shows that the number of infected children below 10 years of age is only about 2,000, while that of elderly people above 80 years is about 1,000. The data shows that the highest number of infected people fall between 31 and 40 years of age; those between 21 and 30 are the highest infected.
According to data from MoHP, the total recovered rate is 96.31 percent, the total Infected rate is 2.29 percent while total death rate is 1.40 percent. The ministry, however, did not provide the age-wise death rate of the pandemic.
Dr Samir Kumar Adhikari, joint-spokesperson for the MoHP, said that the gender-wise data of deaths was also prepared. “Number of male deaths is higher,” he said. “Infection rate of women is less compared to men.”
Dr Adhikari further said that there would not be much problem in the post-vaccine era.
“However, if a new variant emerges, we can’t say now how vaccines would work,” he said.
“Currently, we have found that vaccinated people are safer from the virus and there is little chance of them needing hospitalization,” he added. “The issue of just how long the vaccines would be effective is yet to be confirmed.”
BP Aryal is a freelance journalist. This news is based on a fellowship program.
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