Covid-19 vaccines will work against new variants of the virus: Indian government

Covid-19 vaccines will work against the new variants of the virus and there is no evidence that current vaccines will fail to protect against the SARS-CoV-2 mutants reported from UK or South Africa, the Indian government said today.

Addressing a press conference, Principal Scientific Advisor K Vijay Raghavan said that so far it has not been found that the new variant increases the severity of the disease.

"There is no evidence that current vaccines will fail to protect against Covid-19 variants reported from the UK or SA. Most vaccines do target the spike protein, in which there are changes in the variants but vaccines stimulate our immune system to produce a wide range of protective antibodies," he said.

NITI Aayog member (Health) V K Paul said a majority of the population is still susceptible to the infection in the cold weather. "The UK variant has travelled to several other countries and also to India, this variant may have its own run and we have to be very careful."

Bhushan said 70 percent of Covid-19 deaths have been reported in men and 45 percent fatalities due to this disease have been reported in those below 60 years of age.

Meanwhile, Indian Health Minister Harsh Vardhan has been nominated by the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) as a member on its Board where he will represent the South East Area Regional Office/Western Pacific Regional Office.

The seat is currently held by Myint Htwe of Myanmar and Vardhan will be representing India from January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2023.

The GAVI Board is responsible for strategic direction and policy-making, oversees the operations of the Vaccine Alliance and monitors programme implementation.

The GAVI has membership drawn from a range of partner organisations as well as experts from the private sector, an official statement said. End