Re: [IAC#RG] Some good news on vaccine front

Dear Brother Prakash

As per the current information, the Indian variant B.1.617.1 is 6-8 times more resistant to vaccines than the standard SARS-CoV-2 original strains of first wave. So all vaccines are comparatively much less effective against it. As India's experience of fully inoculated persons dying from Covid shows, COVISHIELD vaccine, especially, is virtually useless against the Indian strain.

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20210512/mRNA-based-COVID-19-vaccines-are-effective-against-Indian-SARS-CoV-2-variant-says-study.aspx

Compared to previously circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants, the B.1.617.1 variant contains multiple mutations in specific spike regions, including the N-terminal antigenic supersite, the receptor-binding domain (RBD), and the polybasic furin cleavage site at the S1/S2 boundary.

..

Compared to the wildtype virus, the B.1.617.1 variant is significantly resistant (6.8-fold) to neutralization by antibodies developed in response to natural infection or vaccination. Despite such lower sensitivity, about 79% of convalescent sera and 100% of vaccinated sera showed considerable effectiveness in neutralizing the B.1.617.1 variant.

Taken together, the study highlights the effectiveness of mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines in inducing neutralizing antibodies against newly emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants like B.1.617.1.

However, WHO has a different take on the same study, which is available as a pre-print.

This is all academic, because India cannot afford such expensive vaccines and we must make do with what we can afford, ie. COVISHIELD and COVAXIN, even if the former is useless.

On Tue, May 18, 2021 at 12:02 PM Pankaj Jangid <pankaj@codeisgreat.org> wrote:

"Bikash Bhattacharya" (via indiaresists Mailing List)
<indiaresists-3hfIC0tI0F+k/GrYEfjPQg@public.gmane.org> writes:

> FYI, These *COVISHIELD vaccines were rejected in USA*
> <https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/fda-could-reject-astra-zeneca-s-covid-vaccine-efficacy-and-manufacturing-shortfalls-analyst>
> because they don't work too well on the new more aggressive variants
> ...

This is opposite of what I have read till now about mRNA vaccines. I
have read that the mRNA vaccine is not effective for new variants and
they will release a new booster dose for each new variant or a set of
variants.

Could you please clarify, Mr. Bikash, if my understanding is wrong?

--
Regards,
Pankaj Jangid
Post: "indiaresists@lists.riseup.net"
Exit: "indiaresists-unsubscribe@lists.riseup.net"
Quit: "https://lists.riseup.net/www/signoff/indiaresists"
Help: https://help.riseup.net/en/list-user
WWW : http://indiaagainstcorruption.net.in