News Analysis India

Tag: mutant strain

  • Reduced vaccine efficacy: Experts call for policy revisit

    Express News Service
    NEW DELHI:  The latest study indicating that the existing Covid-19 vaccines may have reduced efficacy against the B.1.617 variant of SARS CoV-2 has prompted many experts to urge the Centre to rethink its vaccination policy using fresh modelling and serosurveys. The B.1.617 variant of Covid- 19 is largely responsible for the ferocious second wave of the pandemic in India and has reached many countries, including the UK. The Indian government had recently decided to raise the gap between two doses of Covishield vaccine to 12-16 weeks from the earlier suggested interval of 6-8 weeks.

    Though the government insisted that it was being done at the behest of technical input from the expert panel on vaccinations, many believe that this was mainly done due to the acute shortage of Covid-19 vaccines in India. The new data from the UK, as per a study carried out by Public Health England, suggests that the two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine offer just 60% efficacy against the infection, while the protection after only one dose is much lower.

    This vaccine, however, has 66% efficacy after both doses against the B.1.1.7 variant, first detected in the UK, and even higher efficacy against the variants which were circulating earlier. The same study showed that the Pfizer, also being used in the UK, was 88% effective against the B.1.617 variant, while its efficacy is over 93% against the B.1.1.7 variant. This concern that the available vaccines may not be working as effectively against the B.1.617 variant, first detected in India, had earlier led to lowering of the gap between two doses of AstraZeneca to 8 weeks, from the earlier interval of 12 weeks in the UK.

    Sources in the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19 told this newspaper that they were studying the new data while pointing out that lab studies from India have confirmed that both Covishield and Covaxin, the two major vaccines being used in the country, offer protection against various variants. Some experts, however, emphasised the need of revisiting the country’s vaccination policy in the light of new data.

    According to vaccinologist Gagandeep Kang, if two exposures to parts of SARS-CoV-2 are needed to protect someone from infection, either two doses of vaccine and even 3 in case of a vaccine based on inactivated virus such as Covaxin — or in those already with confirmed infection, one or two doses of vaccine may be required.

    “Modelling and serosurveys are urgently needed to optimise strategy for India in the view of the limited supply (of Covid vaccines),” she said. Virologist Sudhanshu Vrati, while maintaining that the lower efficacy means reduced protection between two doses of a vaccine, said any decision will have to be taken keeping in mind the vaccine scarcity.

  • Double mutant strain of Covid-19 present in Uttarakhand before Mahakumbh 2021

    Express News Service
    DEHRADUN: With the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) confirming detection of a total of six cases of various strains, according to doctors in Dehradun’s Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (VRDL), it is now confirmed that highly contagious double mutant strain of SARS-CoV-2 had registered its presence before the Mahakumbh 2021 started on April 1. 

    The samples which confirmed the double mutant strain was sent to the NCDC at the end of March month.  Dr Shekhar Pal, principal investigator of VRDL in Doon Medical College, Dehradun said, “The double mutant strain is said to be 50-70% more infectious than the original one which started the pandemic.” 

    The experts confirmed that three of the six are of the double mutant strain, two are of the UK strain and one is yet to be identified. The mega religious event was attended by millions of people from across the country with 35 lakh on April 12 Shahi Snan and 13.51 lakh on April 14 Shahi Snan. 

    Anoop Nautiyal, an analyst based in Dehradun whose Social Development for Communities Foundation is analysing Covid 19 data since March 2020 said, “Mahakumbh has no doubt acted as a super spreader event. People who came to attend the rituals in Haridwar must have gone back to their home states with infection of new variant. The situation has become dire and systems around us are collapsing. More tests, rapid vaccination is the only way out.”

    Uttarakhand on 31 March registered total 293 cases which shot up to 2160 cases on April 19. Uttarakhand has registered whopping 89 fold increase in duration of April 1-15 in comparison to February 14-28. Total 172 cases of COVID-19 surfaced from February 14-28 while 15333 cases surfaced from April 1-14 amid ongoing Mahakumbh in which over 50 lakh gathered in two days- April 12 and 14. 

    The number of daily COVID cases have reached 2000-2500 per day after commencement of the Mahakumbh in Haridwar from April 1 comparison to 30-60 cases everyday in February in the state of Uttarakhand.

    Total 3012 new COVID cases surfaced in Uttarakhand on Friday taking total active cases count in the state to 21014. The recovery rate further came down to 80.21% with positivity rate of 3.81 per cent across the state.  Meanwhile, the state has vaccinated total 13,89,410 people out of which 2,72,570 have got second dosage of the vaccine too.