More adults are now taking vaccines against influenza and pneumococcal diseases compared to pre-Covid years, doctors said.
This trend, doctors felt, was a result of people being exposed to adult vaccination during the pandemic.
A number of people are approaching doctors on their own asking if they should get vaccinated — a rare occurrence before the pandemic. Others, who are advised vaccination by doctors, are less resistant than before.
Amitabha Saha, head of critical care at AMRI Mukundapur, said that resistance among adults has seen a significant decline. “Earlier, a patient had to be told twice or thrice to get vaccinated, but now they only have to be told once,” he said.
Arunansu Talukdar, head of geriatric medicine at Calcutta Medical College and Hospital, said many patients have been asking about influenza and pneumococcal vaccines.
“On Tuesday, I had a patient who asked if he should get vaccinated this year, too. I had advised him the vaccine last year. There has been a definite rise in awareness about these vaccines,” he said.
“The exposure to adult vaccination during Covid has helped reduce resistance against vaccines among adults,” Talukdar said.
Sauren Panja, a critical care and internal medicine specialist at RN Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Sciences, said the rise was particularly noteworthy in the case of the pneumococcal vaccine. “Earlier, only 30 to 40 per cent of those who were advised the vaccine actually took it. Now, 60 to 65 per cent are taking it,” he said.
Panja said this was a significant rise but still far from ideal.
Doctors said prior to Covid, the majority of adults believed that vaccines worked only for children.
Talukdar said discussions were underway about whether adult vaccination can be started from government hospitals in the country.
The two vaccines that are most advised to the elderly and others with comorbidities are the influenza and the pneumococcal vaccines, said doctors.
“Pneumonia can cause a severe infection of the lungs and can be fatal, too. Vaccination will provide protection against the person developing severe disease,” said a doctor.