The effectiveness of coronavirus vaccines against death is 96.6 per cent with one dose, and 97.5 per cent with two doses, said the Health Ministry referring to vaccine efficacy data against mortality from April to August this year.
Citing data collected between April 18, 2021, till August 15, Balram Bhargava said vaccination prevents deaths, adding that most deaths in the second wave of Covid-19 in April-May were recorded among the unvaccinated.
"This vaccine protective effect against death is there in all age groups, whether it be 60 and above, whether it be 45-59 and 18-44 years," Dr Balram Bhargava said while addressing a press conference on India's Covid situation.
V K Paul, a member of Niti Aayog and the head of the Covid-19 task force, said vaccination is the most important shield against the virus. In a briefing today, Paul appealed to people to get the second dose of the vaccine.
"It is clear from the data before us that when you give two Covid-19 vaccine doses, it provides near-total protection from severe disease and death. We have shown you similar data earlier to emphasise the point that it is crucial to take both doses. While it is important to get fully vaccinated against Covid-19, the data also shows that even the first dose provides significant protection against both, severe disease and death; as high as 90% and above," said PTI quoted VK Paul, member (health), Niti Aayog as saying.
The officials, addressing the routine briefing on Covid-19, also said that a new vaccine tracker will be launched with details of vaccinations and the number of fatalities among vaccinated people after breakthrough infections.
"It is an ambitious intervention aimed to monitor breakthrough infections and deaths, and is going to be online very soon on health ministry's website for people to see," said Rajesh Bhushan, Union secretary for health and family welfare.
"We have tried to develop India Covid-19 vaccine tracker that has data synergies between CoWIN, Covid-19 India Portal, and Covid-19 testing portal of the ministry of health and family welfare, and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).