With the emergence of infections from a new mutant of coronavirus, delta plus, India is struggling with a new concern whether their vaccines will be effective against it or not.
Scientists at the Indian Council of medical research (ICMR) are working hard to isolate and culture the delta plus variant (AY.1) so as to test if the effects of this newfound strain can be neutralized with Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin. The newly mutated form of the dominant Delta variant is being tested at the National Institute of virology at Pune.
According to sources, the serum samples from recovered Covid-19 patients are also under testing for checking the potential of neutralizing effect of the antibodies against the Delta Plus variant.
As per the Union Health Ministry, the Indian vaccines work effectively against the Delta variant. Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan has stated, “In India, the two vaccines, Covishield and Covaxin, are effective against the Delta variant. We will be sharing soon the effects of the various vaccines on the Delta variant, antibody titer.”
However, the views of health experts and virologists differ on that. They are of the opinion that Delta plus Variant might evade both the vaccines and prior infection immunity.
An Expert Study has, however, suggested that the monoclonal antibody treatment may not work against the Delta Plus variant. Dr. Rommel Tickoo, director of internal medicine, Max Healthcare has said, “As per the data available in the public domain, monoclonal antibodies might not be effective against the Delta Plus variant. But we need more scientific data to back this claim.”
Vaccines made by other countries might also just fail in the case of the Delta variant. A health expert and American scientist Eric Feigl-Ding’s tweets about the same have stirred up fears from Delta variant among the population. She has quoted a study in which she said that vaccines such as AstraZeneca might just have limited effectiveness against the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2. In a series of tweets, Eric stated said, “The efficacy of AZ [AstraZeneca vaccine] against the Delta variant is not 90% (it’s 60%), Pfizer is 88% in one non-trial study. However, 1 dose of vaccine (both types averaged) is just 33%. And many countries have given just 1 dose.”
Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove of the WHO has also put forward her views on the threat of delta variant. She has said, “The Delta variant is of great concern to us because it is spreading across the world. We know that there are 92 countries where the Delta variant is circulating, 80 countries have the B1.617.2 and an additional 12 countries have B.167 but they haven’t further sub-typed it. We don’t know the sub-lineage that is circulating there. This lineage has increased transmissibility more than the Alpha variant (B117).In terms of vaccine effectiveness, we know that for all the variants of concerns, including the Delta variant, the vaccines remain effective against severe disease and death, which is a very good sign. But we need two doses to be administered to have the full level of protection. We do see reduced efficacy with one dose.”
As of now, the Union Health Ministry has declared the Delta Plus variant as a variant of concern in India. Some states have already been told to take up immediate containment measures. They are also increasing testing, tracking, and vaccinations.
According to WHO, the delta mutant is the most transmissible form of coronavirus. India has reported 52 cases of the Delta Plus strain in states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, and Madhya Pradesh. Two people have succumbed to this new variant. The deaths have been reported from Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.