Virus spreading through person-to-person transmission: Max pulmonology head Vivek Nangia

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Amid the rising number of Covid-19 cases in the country, the national capital, Delhi is setting a grim record of 25,000 cases a day. The panic was further triggered when recent reports claimed that the disease is airborne and may infect even when you have not come in direct contact with a covid infected person.

Dr Vivek Nangia, Head of Pulmonology Department, Max Hospital, Saket, Delhi, debunked these reports by putting the facts straight on the table. He said, ‘the virus has always been airborne, it travels through the air. When the person infected with coronavirus coughs in the open, the virus gets disseminated in the air, it gets carried along with mucous which then forms a droplet or aerosol, that basically infects another person.’

He assured that the science and the pathology of the virus remains the same as before, that is if you have come in closer proximity ( of 6 feet or less) with an infected person, you have a higher risk of getting infected. If you are away from any covid individual, taking a walk at your house terrace, or just sitting on your balcony, you are not at risk of getting infected.

Nangia said this is the fourth covid-19 wave in Delhi and the second one in India. With a dramatic spike of around 2.73 lakh new cases recorded in a single day, the situation cannot be more alarming.

Throwing light on the spike in cases,  Nangia, also confirmed that this time the transmission rate is much faster than it was last year. He said, if last time the transmission rate in terms of R-Naught was 2, then this time it is between 4 to 4.5. The transmission is witnessed much faster in children and youngsters, from where it is getting transmitted to the senior citizens.

There have also been questions in the minds of most people on the efficiency of covid vaccines. Clarifying the doubts on the vaccine’s efficacy, Nangia said, ‘Vaccination is important as it will prevent the mortality rate, it has shown a reduction in the severity of symptoms among patients. Till now, we have not witnessed any deaths due to covid among people who have been vaccinated. Hence, he advised people to go for the jab and added that the immunity of the person will improve only after two weeks of taking the second shot.

To know more about covid-19 developments, supply of Remedesivir, and whether lockdown will help in breaking in the chain, watch the exclusive interview.