ICMR scientist Dr Samiran Panda told News18.com that the new covid version AY.4.2 seems highly transmissible but may not be fatal. He also said that “there is no need to panic but everyone should pursue Covid-appropriate behaviour”.
About 17 samples of the SARS-CoV2 variant have been identified in India called AY.4.2.
AY.4.2 is a sub-lineage of the delta variant of the covid-causing SARS-CoV-2 virus, while the delta variant is the most dominant variant circulating in India.
“The new delta variant seems to be highly transmissible, but not lethal, as such. It may be more transmissible (or infectious), given that the virus does so for its survival because it needs more hosts (the human body). However, it is difficult to say whether it will be more virulent,” said Panda, head of the epidemiology department of ICMR.
Panda explained that “variants occur when viruses are transmitted because the offspring do not look exactly like their parents. Efficient transmission does not necessarily go hand in hand with more virulence because increased virulence makes an infected host less mobile.” and may even lead to the unfortunate event of hospitalization and death, which is not a smart move as the virus requires the cells of living hosts to survive. They do not have their own kitchen. Is.”
“We should not create panic, but it is necessary to increase vigilance and follow the proper covid behavior. There is no room for complacency.”
According to GISAID, an open-access genomic database of influenza viruses and coronaviruses, seven samples of AY.4.2 were found in Andhra Pradesh, two in Karnataka, two in Telangana, four in Kerala, one each in Jammu and Kashmir and Maharashtra.
Variant still under investigation in UK
AY.4.2 has been found in increased frequency in the United Kingdom.
American scientist Eric Topol tweeted on 24 October, “Delta variant sub-lineage AY.4.2, also known as Delta Plus, raised concern with a sequence found in ~10% of recent UK cases Is.”
“AY.4.2 is still known to be the variant or variant of interest under investigation and is not of concern. Therefore, cluster-based studies will define its characteristics in the coming days,” advised Panda.
In India, INSACOG – a multi-laboratory, multi-agency, pan-India network for monitoring genomic variations in SARS-CoV-2 by a sentinel sequencing effort – is studying the characteristics of new strains of the virus.
The World Health Organization (WHO) describes mutations that make the variant more contagious or fatal, calling it a ‘type of concern’.
According to Panda, who is also the director of ICMR’s National AIDS Research Institute (NARI), the combination of vaccine and mask should be followed without exception.
“The new version or the old one spreads through the same medium – so let’s use a mask and beat the virus SARS-CoV-2.”
“While masks will prevent the acquisition of infection, vaccines will try to reduce hospitalizations and deaths. We must follow these two practices, no matter what mutation or variation.”
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