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News: Measles-containing vaccines (MCVs) might offer children some protection against Covid-19 infection, shows early evidence from a study by researchers from BJ Medical College in Pune.
- The study analyzed 548 participants (aged 1 to 17) who were split into two groups – those who have tested positive for Covid (via RT-PCR) and those who haven’t.
Findings of the study
Researchers found the MCVs had vaccine effectiveness of 87.5% against SARS-CoV-2 and that vaccinated participants had less severe Covid symptoms than the unvaccinated.
What is the significance of the study?
This recent study supports a much-discussed hypothesis that children are fairly protected against SARS-CoV-2 because of ‘non-specific immunity’ following inoculation with live attenuated vaccines, including measles-containing vaccines (MCVs) and the Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) shot.
- The measles vaccine has been part of India’s universal immunization programme for the last 36 years. The measles vaccine is given at 9 months and 15 months
- Although their findings are encouraging, larger trials would be needed before a definitive conclusion can be made.
Terms to know
- Universal Immunization Programme
Source: Times of India
