Immunity levels may be waning: TN Health Secretary on increase in Covid-19 numbers

The “definite increase” in the number of Covid-19 cases in Chennai, and neighbouring districts, as well as the higher numbers being reported in other states is an “indirect pointer” that “immunity levels are waning”, Tamil Nadu Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan said on Friday.

According to him, the waning immunity is thereby making the community susceptible for variants, and sub-variants.

In a letter to district collectors, Radhakrishnan wrote that apart from small institutional clusters, the Health Department got a few contact positives after attending functions. The letter thus speculated that it pointed to family clusters, although there was no “significant increase” in hospitalisation.

“This is an indirect pointer to the need that immunity levels are waning, making the community susceptible for variants, sub variants and lineages,” Radhakrishnan said. He also stated that the increase was more conspicuous as the vaccination coverage in the state was at 93.74 per cent for the first dose, and 82.55 per cent for the second dose.

He told the collectors that 43 lakh people in the state were yet to get their first dose of vaccination, while 1.22 crore were yet to take the second one.

“We should make an effort for the eligible persons to get vaccinated in the right earnest. Also, those with symptoms should not ignore and attend functions or offices and make others vulnerable. They should get tested, isolate themselves till results come and get treated at home or in hospital depending on clinical needs if tested positive,” Radhakrishnan said.

The government also advised people to wear their masks in crowded and closed places where there was a higher possibility of contracting the disease.

Radhakrishnan asked the district collectors not to allow “any drift or slackening in the efforts leading to any dip or wane in prevention and control efforts.”

Although the daily toll continued to be below 100 in the state, the government noticed an increase in Chennai, Chengalpattu, and Tiruvallur.

Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, Tamil Nadu had so far reported 34 lakh Covid-19 cases with 38,025 deaths.