Countries with mass BCG immunization likely to show better resistance against COVID-19: Prof Gobardhan Das

Gobardhan Das, Professor at Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has said that countries with mass BCG immunization are "likely to have better resistance" to coronavirus compared to other parts of the world.

"For coronavirus, we currently do not have a vaccination but some people are working with BCG as there seems to be some correlation with vaccination. In countries like Spain, where there is no vaccination, the death and occurrence rate of COVID-19 is high, while in Portugal where there is vaccination the death rate is quite low. So indeed, there is some correlation," Das told ANI here.

He was asked if countries like India, where BCG immunisation is given, are better prepared to tackle the spread of coronavirus. BCG protects against tuberculosis (TB) disease.

Das said that scientists and researchers should stay focused and search for the medicine and vaccine for COVID-19, even though "every virus infection has its phase and search for the cure can take three to four months."

He said India is doing much better than most of the other countries in preventing the spread of the disease.

"India is doing much better than most other countries in combating COVID-19. The early lockdown imposed by the Modi government did well to prevent the spread and social distancing is also doing its bit in controlling the spread. Had it not been for the Nizamuddin case the curve would have been really flat," he said.

The total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in India climbed to 4,789 on Tuesday, as per the data provided by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Tuesday.

The data says that 124 people have died while 353 patients have been cured/discharged (one migrated). Maharashtra reported the highest number of 868 cases, followed by Tamil Nadu 621 and Delhi 576.