Covaxin offers significant protection against Beta, Delta variants: ICMR study

Bharat Biotech and Indian Council of Medical Research’s (ICMR) Covid vaccine Covaxin offers significant protection against both Beta and Delta variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, a new study has found.

Delta (B.1.617.2) and Beta (B.1.351) variants of SARS-CoV-2 have been a global health concern due to their impact on existing vaccines. Several scientists have reported that both variants are associated with higher transmissibility and potential immune escape properties.

In a study published in the Journal of Travel Medicine, researchers from ICMR and Bharat Biotech assessed blood samples from people who had recovered from Covid-19 as well as those who had received Covaxin.

The team looked at the ability of these blood samples to neutralise the Beta and Delta variants. The study found that the vaccine conferred significant protection against both variants.

According to the team, the immune escape of Beta and Delta variants has been a serious concern for the Covid-19 vaccination programme, since it has shown reduced neutralisation to several approved vaccines such as Moderna’s mRNA1273, Pfizer’s BNT162b2, and Covishield (ChAdOx1).