The efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine will always be challenged and compromised as the Coronavirus keeps evolving with immune escape capabilities. The vaccine platform will require constant modifications if it must provide immunity against new variants.
Currently, the Omicron variant is found to escape all vaccine-induced immunity and pharma companies are reformulating vaccines to make it effective against Omicron and other variants, points out Dr Satish Ranjan, a leading Germany-based immunologist.
Since vaccine development would be expensive and its efficacy likely short-lived, India should bring big-bang reforms in healthcare and evolve a two-pronged strategy that addresses a potential future pandemic and gives allowance to other infectious and non-infectious diseases as well.
The country needs to develop a structured, integrated, preventive and responsive healthcare system wherein all private and public healthcare infrastructure are governed by a unified law.
Source: thehindubusinessline.com