Written By: Satata Karmakar | Updated : July 5, 2021 8:23 AM IST
No Antibodies Found Against Delta Variant in 16% People Fully Vaccinated With Covishield: ICMR
As India witnesses a steep fall in the daily COVID-19 cases, a new study by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has revealed that neutralising antibodieswere missing in 16% of the population who is fully vaccinated with Covishield. The study also stated that around 58% population who were given a single shot of the Covishield's COVID-19 shot did not carry any of the antibodies for the newly detected Delta Variant. Covishield coronavirus vaccine is known as Oxford-AstraZeneca in other countries outside India. However, the scientists are yet to do a study on the recipients of the Oxford-AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine.
Stating that not detected is not equivalent to not present, the ICMR's study revealed that the level of the neutralising antibodies titres was significantly low in those who received both the doses of Covishield's coronavirus vaccine which couldn't be detected. However, the study result also added that these merely low antibodies can also provide protection against the coronavirus infection and severe disease among the vaccine recipients. The experts also revealed that the count of the antibodies which mainly targets the Sars-CoV-2 viruses and destroy them before it enters the human cells were also low in these individuals. "Covishield recipients mights have some cell mediated protective immunity that can protect against infection and severe disease," Dr T Jacob John, former head of the department of microbiology at Christian Medical College-Vellore was quoted as saying.
Delta variant is a highly transmissible strain of covid-19 which was first detected in India and it is also the possible reason behind the ferocious second wave of coronavirus in the country. The variant has now again mutated into another contagious strain Delta Plus. The recent emergence of B.1.617 lineage has created grave public health problem in India. According to the recent reports by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the deadly Delta variant of COVID-19 is now present in almost 99 countries. The experts have also warned that the strain is on its way to become a dominant coronavirus variant worldwide.
"The lineage further mutated to generate sub-lineages B.1.617.1 (Kappa), B.1.617.2 (Delta) and B.1.617.3. Apparently, the Delta variant has slowly dominated the other variants. With this, the World Health Organisation has described this sub-lineage as variant of concern," the experts stated. They further added, "The high transmissibility associated with Delta variant led to second wave of the pandemic in India which affected millions of people. Besides this, variant of concerns have been reported to show lower neutralisation to several approved vaccines. This has led to breakthrough infections after completion of vaccination regimen."
(With inputs from Agencies)
