India To Place People With Down Syndrome On Top Priority In Giving COVID 19 Jabs

Those individuals in India who are afflicted with Down Syndrome shall now be placed on the pedestal of priority where it comes to offering COVID 19 jabs. While on its own, the Coronavirus has proven itself to be a deadly contagion, that so far, has led to a huge loss of lives all around the world, those already grappling with illnesses need to specially watch out. And therefore, there’s the need to be extra cautious.

That being said, there’s already a need to be vigilant about the infection especially for those who are deemed senior citizens, or to put it simply, the elderly in our society. And as it turns out, there’s also a need to exercise caution especially for those battling Down Syndrome, according to medical updates.

That’s the reason why, in India, greater care is being offered to those suffering with Down Syndrome even as the threat of the COVID 19 virus is still pretty much around.

That being said, there is also a reason to practice caution in such cases, which is why it becomes important to fathom a vital statistic. And this no ordinary stat; it could well sound disconcerting.

Just imagine, how many of us were even aware of this: that adults with Down Syndrome were around three times more likely to suffer a fatal end on account of the COVID 19 virus than the general population. It’s not a random stat based on something illogical; it’s a finding furnished by none other than Lancet.

But that said, if one were to specifically speak of India, then one needs to pay attention to the fact that there are no fewer than 30,000 cases of Down Syndrome in the country each year.

The vaccination, therefore, aims to emphasize proper treatment for those dealing with such a challenging condition in these desperate COVID 19-marred times.

Moreover, the criticality being leveled towards those with Down Syndrome isn’t basis one recent medical finding alone. Given the fact that, in addition to the Lancet conclusion, the US Centre for Diease Control, United Kingdom, and Spain too emerged as countries to place those stifled with the genetic condition in the ‘high risk’ category has the seriousness in the matter become more apparent.

And this finding emanated from a global research on Down Syndrome that studied patients from a vivid geography- including those from India, Latin America, Europe, and the United States.

That being said, it’s important to reflect on the insights of Dr. Samiran Panda, Head of Epidemiology and Communicable Diseases division, Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), who had the following to say:

“We will propose to include the Down syndrome patients in comorbid (high-risk) category in the next meeting on vaccine strategy. Down syndrome is a co morbid condition in which patients have problems in their physiological functions. It will be good to include them in the priority group under nationwide covid-19 vaccination programme.”

Those afflicted by Down Syndrome tend to develop severe symptoms upon hospitalization on account of COVID 19 and can even experience complications in vital organs of the body, such as lungs, it’s been found.

Therefore, greater care must be administered at all times to those with the aforementioned conditions and that is why India is taking no chances, whatsoever to extend proper care in such cases amid the COVID 19 situation.