People still testing positive for COVID-19 days after receiving vaccine - CDC study

- Experts attribute the trend of people testing positive for coronavirus after vaccination to the fact that vaccines take weeks before immunity kicks in

- Other medics argue that it is not yet clear whether the approved vaccines provide protection against COVID-19 or they just prevent serious illness

- It is also not clear if vaccines prevent a virus carrier who has been immunised from passing the infection to other people

- There is growing concern that most COVID-19 cases reported after vaccination are being dismissed as "side effects of the vaccine" by clinicians

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A freshly published study has revealed that even after receiving the first or second dose of COVID-19 vaccines, a cross-section of recipients still tests positive for the virus.

The research conducted by CDC observed post-vaccination COVID-19 among healthcare workers in Israel. As separately reported by YEN.com.gh, most countries that have rolled out vaccination prioritised health workers, the immunocompromised and the elderly.

Among 4,081 vaccinated healthcare workers in Israel, 22 (0.54%) developed COVID-19 between 1–10 days after immunisation.

Dismissed as vaccine side effects

The report raised concern that most of the cases reported after vaccination are being dismissed as "side effects of the vaccine" by clinicians, a trend likely to claw back on the gains so far realised from immunisation

"Coronavirus disease symptoms can be mistaken for vaccine-related side effects during the initial days after immunisation.

Clinicians should not dismiss postvaccination symptoms as vaccine-related and should promptly test for COVID-19," the study read.

Tested positive after vaccination

In the US, Democratic Representative Stephen Lynch tested positive days after receiving the second dose of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.

Iona Men’s Basketball Coach Rick Pitino was diagnosed with the disease after getting the first shot.

According to the CDC, COVID-19 vaccines, which none of them is 100% effective, do not work retroactively. Most of the vaccines need between 14 to 30 days before they can offer an excellent level of immunity.

A section of medics has also argued it is not yet clear of the vaccines prevent infection. What is, however, known is that most of the approved doses prevent the recipient from developing serious illness.

It is also not clear if the vaccine prevents a carrier who has been immunised from passing the infection to other people.

On Tuesday, February 2, YEN.com.gh reported that top US medic Anthony Fauci said vaccination will help slam the breaks on the new COVID-19 variant.

"If we stop the replication by vaccinating people widely and not giving the virus a field to continue to responding to the pressure that we put on it, we will not get mutations," said Fauci.

Fauci added that previous infection or the perceived herd immunity, does not offer any level of safety especially, with the emergence of the South African COVID-19 variant.

Approved vaccines

Vaccines that have already been approved by regulators include Pfizer, Moderna, Astrazeneca, Sputnik V (Russia) and Sinopharm (China). Johnso & Jonson which has produced the Janssen dose said it will be filing for Emergency Use Authorisation this week.

Kenya which announced on Wednesday, February 3, that plans were at an advanced stage to receive and administer the vaccine, expects its first consignment of vials this February.

As of Wednesday, COVID-19 had been contracted by 104,435,174 people out of which 2,263,886 were deaths while 76,324,092 were recoveries.

In Kenya, the cases had as of early Wednesday, hit 101,009 which included 83,990 recoveries and 1,766 deaths.

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Source: YEN.com.gh