Omicron effect: Covid vax coverage among HIV patients is increasing

Since the discovery of the Omicron variation in an AIDS patient with extended Covid in South Africa, the Karnataka State AIDS Prevention Society (KSAPS) has seen an increase in the number of people living with HIV (PLHIV) who are due for their second Covid vaccination dosage coming forward for the shot. 1.69 lakh of the 3.55 lakh HIV patients registered in the state’s ART centres are getting regular ART. Only 12,000 to 13,000 of the remaining 1.86 lakh persons are officially classified ‘lost to follow-up.’ The remainder are considered deceased, to be receiving private-sector care, or to have fled to neighbouring states.

As on October 13, the first dose coverage among HIV positive people in the state was 48.89% and second dose coverage 22.36%. Thyagaraju D T, Assistant Director (Care, Support and Treatment), KSAPS, said this has reached 60% to 65% over the past month especially in the last few days amidst Omicron scare. Along the lines of such awareness being raised by the AP AIDS Control Society, counsellors at the state’s antiretroviral therapy (ART) centres, integrated counseling and testing centres (ICTC) and community-based organisations are educating patients on the Omicron variant, the consequences of not taking regular ART and of not being fully vaccinated. “In the last few days, we’ve been educating people on the importance of vaccination in the backdrop of Omicron as the first patient in South Africa is said to be an AIDS patient who had not been on regular ART. He is also said to have had TB.

We’re having 15-minute sessions for them right in the corridors of ART centres every two hours. At Bowring Hospital on Tuesday (Nov 30), six PLHIV were taken for the second dose as they had completed 45 days after the first dose,” Thyagaraju said. ““Previously, a few HIV positive people thought the Covid pandemic was over and that a second dose was not required. They didn’t want to experience the fever and body pain they had after receiving the first dose. Now after Omicron, they have started showing up. A PLHIV need not even stand in the queue at vaccination centres. The ART centre personnel accompanying them will directly take them in,” he said. “All community-based organisations and NGOs working with PLHIV for targeted interventions, are insisting on Covid vaccination after the poor vaccination coverage came to light in October,” he added.