Expert calls for broad-spectrum vaccines as Covid weakens immunity

New variants of the COVID-19 virus have emerged, which may be more contagious and more resistant to existing vaccines and treatments, and pharmaceutical companies need to develop new vaccines and treatments that can address these variants.

| Updated: 12 April, 2023 1:31 pm IST

Data from the US, UK and Canada, the countries which massively used Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine, show that fully vaccinated persons may be developing AIDS-associated diseases.

New Delhi: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a paradigm shift in the healthcare industry, leading pharmaceutical companies to devote more resources towards understanding the long-term effects of the virus and developing new treatments and vaccines.

The Indian pharmaceuticals industry has been working rigorously to develop and manufacture products that can help boost immunity against COVID-19, including vitamins, supplements, and immune-boosting substances.

“The industry is contributing significantly to post-COVID immunity by developing effective vaccines, treatments, and immunity boosters to protect people against COVID-19 and its long-term effects,” BDR Pharmaceuticals director Raheel Shah told The New Indian.

However, the industry has faced various challenges in reference to post-COVID immunity.

The pandemic has disrupted supply chains, making it challenging for companies to source raw materials and distribute products, Shah added. “This has affected the production and distribution of vaccines and treatments,” he said.

Furthermore, new variants of the COVID-19 virus have emerged, which may be more contagious and more resistant to existing vaccines and treatments, and pharmaceutical companies need to develop new vaccines and treatments that can address these variants.

While speaking on factors that the pharma industry needs to keep in mind while contributing, Shah emphasized the importance of safety, efficacy, and availability of vaccines that can protect people against a spectrum of diseases and not just a class of viruses.

“Pharmaceutical companies need to develop vaccines that can provide protection against a range of diseases to strengthen the immunity of the people,” he said.

The recent surge in COVID-19 cases has left health experts in India concerned. With 7830 fresh cases and 16 deaths reported on Wednesday, the country’s active caseload has now reached 40,215.

Experts warn that the additional mutation of the virus spike protein attached to XBB.1.16 has the potential to make the virus more infectious, making it imperative for the pharma industry to develop new vaccines and treatments that can address these new variants.