Dr Virupaxi Ghodgeri, a surgeon and German citizen with more than three decades of professional experience in Germany says that no one can predict as to when the adverse effect of Covid-19 variants is going to come down in the world.
No proper tests done: Dr Virupaxi Ghodgeri is on a vacation to his home town Belagavi in Karnataka and shared his view points on prevalence of the pandemic variants in European Union and the Western world. He also listed out the probable reasons for the pandemic variants still having an upper hand in some of the countries barring India-“Patients are not being tested the way it needs to be done. People with cold, flu and influenza need to undergo proper tests for checking spread of the pandemic variants”, he feels.
Variants may not be dangerous: His reminiscences about the health network system back home in Germany-“You will not get medicines at the pharmacies like you can easily fetch them here. Roughly there will be one house doctor for every 400 people while health data of all 400 people is easily available and monitored. All births and deaths are recorded and causes for deaths are also reported and recorded. But the solace now is that the variants may not be dangerous”.
Natural immunity and vaccination might have helped Indians: Dr Virupaxi Ghodgeri has his own way of looking at India overcoming the first two waves followed by the later ones as well-“Perhaps natural immunity and rapid vaccinations might have helped the Indians in overcoming the onslaught of Covid-19 variants. For instance at Dharavi, the world’s largest slum spread in an area of over 2.1 kilometers with a population of more than a crore, the fatalities were not as was feared. The most probable reasons could be the residents’ natural immunity and vaccination”.
Pfizer efficiency could be around 70%: He is also of the opinion that- The efficiency of Pfizer was up to 70 percent immunity while the remaining of them is attributed from 50-60 percent. Viral infecting variants may keep changing but the subsequent Covid-19 variants are not all that dangerous like the first two. In Germany initially they had their own vaccination in association with Pfizer followed by the Pfizer ones.
India exports maximum pharmaceutical products: Dr Virupaxi Ghodgeri makes interesting observations on Indian capabilities and progress accomplished-“In India 90 percent of the population including far flung villages was covered with vaccinations. Along with Dharavi, in general the natural immunity level is far better than the artificial immunity. There are fewer studies done here while India is better off in vaccine manufacturing. In India, manufacturing of vaccines is good while R & D of vaccines began from the British days and we had the oldest vaccine center in Belagavi. Added to such advantages, India exports the maximum pharmaceutical products to the world”.
Now only 40% vaccination in Germany: Responding to the peculiar predicament in Germany, the European Union and Western countries about the Covid-19 variant cases not coming down and vulnerable people continuing to become victims, Dr Virupaksha Virupaxi Ghodgeri opines-“The vaccination during the first wave was 70% in big towns while in the latest vaccination drive the proportion has dipped down to only 40% in Germany. Certain population doesn’t believe in vaccination. So, in the 2nd and 3rd waves original vaccination was not that effective. They think it is bogus and humbug!”
Lack of natural immunity led to deaths: When pondered about the massive casualties in Europe and Western world in comparison to the population of the countries and here, Dr Virupaxi Ghodgeri felt-“Many people have died here also but no proper statistics have been provided. Lack of natural immunity and advanced age could be the major factors. But, you should also remember one thing. The average life expectancy is 80+ while people 65+ ranges are most susceptible for infections in Europe and the Western world”.
Indian beliefs unimaginable: “Vaccination no doubt has helped India. At the same time the types of beliefs here are also mind boggling. How many Babas’ are flourishing here? Most of them begin with Yoga, fine and understandable. But it was when one claimed that he could treat Cancer the real motives began to unfold. Some claim to be a Baba but minting money in the name of Ayurveda. If, one is a swami, what is he utilizing the huge revenues for…
…Parkinson disease cured in six hours! One doctor of Nanavati hospital in Mumbai has announced that he would cure Parkinson disease in six hours. What the hell is going on here? And you have Kerala Black Magic! This is too much in India and found more so in the name of Hinduism”, says Dr Virupaxi Ghodgeri taking a dig at the developments here.
No one can predict: He signed off by asserting-“Earlier viral infection was not much known. But now all types of viruses keep coming due to change of climate and health habits. Malaria has almost been eradicated and so have been many other diseases like smallpox, plague etc. As of now 4-6 variants of Covid-19 pandemic are being reported. In Africa and some other countries you have yellow fever, Ebola etc while Chickengunya, Dengue and other viruses are found in India. In the given situation no one can predict as to when the prevalence of Covid-19 pandemic variants will come down”.
-Manohar Yadavatti
Very good write up by Mr. Manohar.
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