India / Can you get Covid infection after vaccination? Bharat Biotech chairman explains

New Delhi: Amid cases and concerns of reinfections of Covid-19, Bharat Biotech chairman and managing director Krishna Ella clarified that injectable vaccines only protect the lower lung and not the upper lung. So, the possibility of getting infected by Covid-19 even after getting the two doses of a vaccine is not completely ruled out, Dr Ella said, emphasising the need to strictly continuing wearing a mask after inoculation.

"That is the problem with all injectable vaccines," he said adding that the vaccine will prevent the infection from becoming serious. It won't become lethal, life-threatening, he added.

The second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic proves to be more dangerous for India as every day the country is breaking previous records of daily infections and daily deaths, while states are grappling for oxygen, Remdesivir and vaccines.

As the vaccine drive will be expanded to everyone above the age of 18 years from May 1, Bharat Biotech aims to produce 30 million doses in May, increasing its capacity considerably from 20 million doses in April and 15 million in March.

In a statement, Bharat Biotech said that the company has ramped up its capacity to be able to produce 700 million doses of Covaxin per annum.

Upscaling the vaccine production becomes imperative at present as apart from global supplies, the vaccine makers of India will now have to meet the individual demand of states as in the third phase of vaccination starting from May 1, states will be able to buy vaccine from vaccine makers directly. Assam has already placed an order of 1 crore Covxin doses from Bharat Biotech.