MBBS student tests Covid positive after second dose of Covishield

The medical student got infected around the same time as he received the second dose.

Manufactured in India by the Serum Institute of India (SII), the Oxford vaccine is one of the two vaccines being used in India currently, the other being Covaxin made by domestic company Bharat Biotech. (File)

A FINAL-YEAR MBBS student from Sion hospital tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Saturday, days after receiving the second dose of the vaccine against Covid-19. Doctors said even after both doses, it could take several days for immunity to build.

The 21-year-old received the Covishield vaccine. Last week, he received the second dose. He developed mild symptoms of the viral infection and underwent a test that came out to be positive. He was admitted to Seven Hills hospital on Saturday night, while several of his hostel mates, who also got vaccinated, are under quarantine.

Dr Balkrishna Adsul, incharge of Seven Hills hospital, said, “Not everyone who gets vaccinated will develop an immune response in a set time frame.” Dr Adsul further said the student had mild symptoms and was stable, and that it could take up to 45 days for the immune response against the virus to be fully built once a vaccine is administered. The medical student got infected around the same time as he received the second dose, he added.

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Dr Mohan Joshi, dean at Sion hospital, said they had come across some cases where health workers got infected after the vaccination. “That is because they got infected before the body could generate immunity. Even after getting vaccinated, we are advising staff to follow all Covid-19 safety protocols,” he added.

An MBBS student from Sion hospital said several students were under isolation or quarantine. “We have our final year exams coming up. There is still no clarity over whether those in isolation or quarantine will be allowed to appear for exams later,” he said.

Dr Joshi said they were yet to hear from Maharashtra University of Health Sciences if an exception could be made for those isolated due to Covid-19. “At this point, they will be marked as absent in the exam,” he added.

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