COVISHIELD vaccine shows effectiveness against the delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 in India

(FASTMAIL) -SARS-CoV-2 has affected more than 200 million people causing more than 5 million deaths worldwide as per the WHO statistics. The rise in mutant variants of SARS-CoV-2 virus has led to concerns regarding vaccine effectiveness. Delta (B.1.617.2) variant is the predominant strain in India. The vaccination programme in India is driven largely by the Covishield vaccine (ChAdOx1 nCoV-19).

A multi-institutional team of Indian researchers led by Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI) evaluated the real-world vaccine effectiveness of Covishield during the SARS-CoV-2 infection surge between April and May, 2021, in India. They also assessed neutralising activity and cellular immune responses against the Variants in healthy vaccinated persons to understand the mechanisms of protection.

In the study published in journal “The Lancet Infectious Diseases” which included comparison between 2379 cases of confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and 1981 controls, the vaccine effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 infection in fully vaccinated individuals was found to be 63%. The vaccine effectiveness of complete vaccination against moderate-to-severe disease was much higher at 81%. More importantly, the scientists also observed that the Spike-specific T-cell responses were conserved against both the delta variant and wild-type SARS-CoV-2. Such cellular immune protection might compensate for waning humoral immunityagainst the virus variants and prevent moderate-to-severe disease and need for hospitalisation. This study provides the comprehensive data on the real-world vaccine effectiveness and immunological response to vaccination which should help guide policy.

Related Health News

Bolivia confirms 15 monkeypox cases

LAPAZ:Bolivia has confirmed a total of 15 monkeypox cases, all in the eastern city of Santa Cruz, Minister of Health and Sports Jeyson Auza said on Monday. All the cases involve men between the ages of 22 and 43, and all are in stable condition and under medical supervision, Auza said at....

Why is uric acid formed in the body and how to identify its symptoms, know from experts

New Delhi, Aug 15, (Fast Mail News):-- The problem of increasing uric acid is becoming common in people these days. Increase in uric acid is a problem that increases due to excessive consumption of purines in the diet. Formation of uric acid is not a new thing, it is made in the body of all of us an....

Kashipur Cholera deaths speak volumes about our health status. Our conditions comparable with countries like Somalia and Ethiopia

By, Manas Jena Bhubaneswar, Aug 13, (Fast Mail News):-- The outbreak of Cholera in Kashipur block of Rayagada district has resulted in the death of more than 17 people while hundreds were affected. This has not been a new phenomenon in Kashipur and other tribal populous areas of th....

WHO gives new names to variants of monkeypox virus

Geneva, Aug 13:-- The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced new names for variants of the monkeypox virus that are currently in circulation. This is to avoid causing any cultural or social offense, the WHO explained in a statement on Friday. A group of global experts convened by the W....

Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment (HMSJE) distributed aids and assistive devices to Divyangjan at PDUNIPPD, New Delhi.

New Delhi, Aug 12, (Fast Mail News):-- On the occasions of Azadi ka amrit mahotsav @75 and Har ghar Tiranga, ghar - ghar Tiranga, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya National Institute for Persons with Physical Disabilities (Divyangjan), a National Institute under the administrative control....