The COVID-19 pandemic has enormously altered people’s life. Every day is a new challenge with the evolving coronavirus coming up with different mutations. The second wave showed a massive outbreak in India with the delta variant emerging as the most infectious one. Since then, there have been many questions in everyone’s mind about this deadly virus. When will the pandemic end? Why does the coronavirus change? Will people be sicker with the new variants? Will, the vaccine work on the new variants? Through this article let us try and understand the coronavirus in detail and understand the role of vaccines in fighting this pandemic.

Since 2003, three large epidemics have been produced by coronaviruses, including the ongoing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. Coronaviruses are enclosed, single-stranded, positive-sense RNA viruses. Their host cell binding protein, the spike (S) glycoprotein, attaches to receptors that are relatively similar across species; this property can enable cross-species transmission, resulting in outbreaks and endemicity in the human population, as has already occurred.

The Coronaviridae family

The family Coronaviridae is divided into four genera: Alpha-coronavirus, Beta-coronavirus, Delta-coronavirus, and Gamma-coronavirus. Human infections reported were limited to the Alpha- and Beta-coronavirus until recently where the Delta-coronavirus variant has created havoc in the world.

As the cases increase, the risk of mutation increases

The more the virus spreads and replicates, the more it has chances to mutate. Thus, until now thousands of changes have been seen in these coronaviruses.

The mutations lead to the formation of the new variants

The mutations help the virus survive more and replicate. The most successful variant becomes the dominant one and spreads across.

Thousands of different COVID variants exist throughout the world. Viruses mutate all the time, and most of the changes are minor. Some of these may even be harmful to the virus. Whereas some can make the disease more infectious or dangerous, and these mutations are more common. Those with the most worrying modifications are referred to as “variant of concern” and are closely monitored by health professionals.

In March 2021, the Delta Plus variant was first discovered in Europe. The Delta variant (B.1.617.2) mutated further, to become the Delta Plus (AY.1) variety. Until now Delta Plus is considered highly infectious. The experts say that “Delta Plus could be resistant to monoclonal antibody cocktail therapy; it may be able to bypass immunity provided by both vaccine and earlier infection. However, at the moment there is no solid proof to this.

Transmission of Delta Plus

• Delta Plus has the K417N mutation, which was first discovered in the Beta variant
• It has all the other characteristics of its predecessor Delta, which makes it much more transmissible
• The K417N mutation is present in the spike protein’s receptor-binding domain, and it is notable because it is also seen in the B.1.351 or Beta variant of concern

It may be able to adapt better to immune escape due to a combination of traits from earlier varieties

The Indian scenario

• According to research, the prevalence of Delta Plus is low in India
• Delta variant is still the most common variant in the country
• Apart from Maharashtra, other states where Delta Plus cases have been reported include Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Punjab, and Madhya Pradesh

Recently, it has been classified as a variant of concern in India

The role of vaccines

• Most COVID-19 vaccines that have been authorized so far are developed using messenger RNA (mRNA) or modified adenovirus vectors.
• The goal here is to get human cells to manufacture one of the coronavirus’s proteins, which will then trigger an immunological response.
• Antibodies are then produced by the body, which can connect to the protein and inhibit it.

The virus spikes attach to the host cells through the receptors.

Vaccines produce antibodies that attach to the spike protein and disable it.

• Current coronavirus vaccines were created for previous strains of the virus, but scientists believe they should still work, albeit with a lower efficacy
• Two doses of any vaccine would be effective in preventing serious illness
• The Delta variant’s specific mutations allow the virus to evade the immune system to some extent. Delta has been demonstrated to impair the efficacy of vaccines to some extent. As a result, a single vaccine dosage may provide insufficient protection. A second dose, on the other hand, has been demonstrated to develop sufficient antibodies to protect against symptomatic infection and severe illness
• The Pfizer vaccine has a 33% efficiency against Delta after a single injection, and an 88% efficacy after both doses, according to UK researchers. In the instance of the AstraZeneca vaccine, efficacy was only 33% after the first dose but increased to 60% after the second dose.
• In India, research is being carried out to determine the efficacy of vaccines against the Delta plus variant.

It is important to understand that most COVID-19 vaccinations don’t confer 100% sterilizing immunity; instead, they serve to lower the disease’s severity

• Vaccines are a vital tool in the fight against COVID-19 and employing the tools already present have a significant public health and lifesaving benefit
• Variants with higher transmissibility and the ability to evade antibodies are a threat to pandemic control and mitigation efforts. New outbreaks may occur in nations with poor vaccination rates
• Thus, a continuous effort to vaccinate as many individuals as possible, increase genomic surveillance to track the virus’ evolution, and act in a COVID-appropriate manner is the need of the hour!

THE ONLY OPTION WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS ‘VACCINATION’

WE URGE YOU ALL TO GET VACCINATED AND BE SAFE IN THIS PANDEMIC!

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