In a first, the Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR) in Burla here would conduct a study on antibodies being developed in persons administered with Covid-19 vaccines.
Proposed by a team of VIMSAR doctors a week back, the project has received nod from the State Government’s Health Research Committee.
The VIMSAR in collaboration with scientists of the Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC), Bhubaneswar would conduct the research for over a period of 12 months. A team of doctors would do the study among the VIMSAR healthcare providers who have already been vaccinated. Around 400 to 500 vaccines would be observed during the survey.
The team of doctors includes principal investigator, tutor of department of community medicine Dr Sanjeeb Mishra and co-investigators associate professors, community medicine Dr Subrat Pradhan and Kulwant Lakra, professor, anaesthesiology Bimal Panda and assistant professor, Microbiology Dr Sumanta Sahu.
During the survey, the team would observe seroconversion on the people who have received Covid-19 vaccines. Seroconversion is the time period during which a specific antibody develops and becomes detectable in the blood. The study would help calculate the number of people required to be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity so that the pandemic can be controlled, said Dr Mishra, adding that the research would provide additional data in support of the vaccine, which would be essential in the long run.