Coronavirus outbreak | Left terms govt advisory on prevention through Unani medicine as misinformation

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) recently chided the government's advisory about coronavirus prevention through Unani medicine as misinformation. The reply came soon after the Press Information Bureau (PIB) tweeted a press release with details of the advisory.

In a January 29 tweet by PIB, the Bureau stated, “Advisory for #CoronaVirus, Homoeopathy for Prevention of Coronavirus Infections, Unani Medicines useful in the symptomatic management of Corona Virus infection (sic).”

Advisory for #CoronaVirus

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Homoeopathy for Prevention of Corona virus Infections

Unani Medicines useful in the symptomatic management of Corona Virus infection

Details here: https://t.co/OXC7PtM7L3

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A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine.

How many types of vaccines are there?

There are broadly four types of vaccine — one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine.

What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind?

Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time.

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— PIB India (@PIB_India) January 29, 2020

The Bureau also attached a link to its website, which contained the press release with all the details. It includes instructions such as maintaining personal hygiene, washing hands, avoiding close contact with people who are sick, using an N95 mask while travelling, among others.

The CPI (M) was quick to respond by tweeting: 

Shocking that the Govt would resort to blatant misinformation in a serious Public Health issue which can affect lives of people. This is sheer madness! https://t.co/mtLDwyGGms

— CPI (M) (@cpimspeak) January 29, 2020

The PIB is yet to reply to this statement.

This is a developing story. More details are awaited.