Covaxin is effective against the U.K. coronavirus variant, says ICMR study

It has recently come to light that Covaxin, India’s First indigenous COVID-19 Vaccine, can work against the new UK variant.

According to the researchers, the study has “evidently highlighted comparable neutralization activity of vaccinated individuals’ sera against variant as well as heterologous SARS-CoV-2 strains. Importantly, sera from the vaccine recipients could neutralise the UK-variant strains discounting the uncertainty around potential escape”. The ICMR’s scientist performed the PRNT50 with the help of sera collected from the 26 recipients of Bharat Biotech’s coronavirus vaccine (Covaxin) against the U.K. variant.

Researchers further stated in the study that “it was reassuring from the PRNT50 (plaque reduction neutralization test) data generated in our laboratory that the indigenous BBV152/ COVAXIN™, following its rollout in the vaccination program, could be expected to work against the new UK-variant. It is unlikely that the mutation 501Y would be able to dampen the potential benefits of the vaccine in concern”.

The study around the effectiveness of Covaxin against the new variant has been conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and National Institute of Virology (NIV). It has been published on bioRxiv and is titled “Neutralization of UK-variant VUI-202012/01 with COVAXIN vaccinated human serum”. Although the study looks promising, it should be noted that the findings of the study still need to be peer-reviewed.

It was back in December 2020, when the authorities of the U.K. and Northern Ireland reported to WHO that a new SARS-CoV-2 variant was identified through viral genomic sequencing. This variant is referred to as SARS-CoV-2 and initial analysis have revealed that the variant spreads more easily between people. According to WHO, Investigations are still ongoing to determine if this new variant is associated with any changes in the severity of symptoms, antibody response or vaccine efficacy.

Also, shortly after the U.K. reported a new variant, national authorities in South Africa also announced the detection of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 rapidly spreading in three provinces of South Africa. South Africa has named this variant 501Y.V2, because of a N501Y mutation.

Amid the concerns around the U.K variant, the government of India has extended the restriction on flights between India and U.K. up to midnight of February 14, 2021. – Mashable