New Delhi: The Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB) on Tuesday allayed fears regarding Delta plus variants stating that it does not appear to be concerning seeing its prevalence in India and abroad. "No, it's not a matter of concern. Only alertness and proper monitoring are necessary. Numbers should not be seen in absolute terms, but rather as proportions. AY.1 and AY.2 do not appear to be concerning when we see prevalence in India or abroad itself," said CSIR-IGIB director Dr Anurag Agarwal in an exclusive interview with ETV Bharat.
He said that all vaccines seem to be good for preventing severe disease for all variants. In fact, a recent study conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has said that two doses of Covishield vaccines work better against the Delta variants of Covid-19. Of late, the AY.1 and AY.2 mutations of Delta plus have raised a serious concern amongst people following reports that this variant is more transmissible and could be a major reason for an emerging third wave.
When contacted, Dr Tamorish Kole, president of the Asian Society for Emergency Medicine said that after two doses of vaccination all vaccines are almost similar in efficacy. "For individuals, the protection from future infection also depends on antibody production, exposure patterns and compliance to Covid appropriate behaviour," said Dr Kole.
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He said that Delta plus variant is classified as a variant of concern in India as it has the potential to reduce the monoclonal antibody response and post-vaccination immune escape because of its K417N mutations. "Studies reveal that the Pfizer vaccine had an efficacy of 33 per cent against Delta after a single dose and 88 per cent after both doses. India is also assessing the effectiveness of vaccines against Delta plus and we will have the results soon," said Dr Kole.
Referring to the third of Covid-19 pandemic, Dr Kole said the current mathematical model suggests that the third wave will hit in future, "but the intensity will be not as such as that of the second wave. Our rate of vaccination will also determine the intensity." "Delta plus is still not the dominating strain in India. It is difficult to predict its contribution in the third wave. Our genomic surveillance will give us the forecast if it changes its virulence," Dr Kole said.
As per statistics, 48 cases of Delta plus variants have been detected in India from 12 States. It may be mentioned here that the Delta plus variants have been identified following genome sequencing of more than 45,000 samples collected during April, May and June. Meanwhile, Union Health Ministry has said that all possible wave depends on the human interactions with the virus. "If we adopt proper Covid-19 appropriate behaviour, and take vaccines at the same time, the third wave may not come," said Lav Agarwal, joint secretary in the health ministry.
Also Read: Two doses of Covishield have higher protection against Delta variants
