Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech on Wednesday claimed that its Covid vaccine Covaxin can neutralise both Delta and Omicron variants of coronavirus.
In a statement, Bharat Biotech said, “Results from a study conducted at Emory University demonstrating that sera from subjects who received a booster dose of Covaxin (BBV152) six months after getting a vprimary two-dose series of Covaxin, neutralized the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron and Delta variants.” It also mentioned that earlier studies demonstrated the neutralizing potential of Covaxin against SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern Alpha, Beta, Delta, Zeta and Kappa.
The study will be published on the pre-print server, medRXiv, shortly.
Sera samples from individuals who received a booster of Covaxin were observed to be effective in neutralizing Omicron and Delta variants on a live virus neutralization assay.
The Hyderabad based company claimed that the neutralization activity of Covaxin boosted sera was comparable to what has been observed in mRNA vaccine-boosted sera against the Omicron variant and found more than 90% of all individuals boosted with Covaxin showed neutralizing antibodies.
All participants received an initial two-dose schedule of Covaxin on Day 0 and Day 28.
“As the dominant Covid-19 variant throughout the world, Omicron poses a serious public health concern,” said Mehul Suthar, PhD Assistant Professor, Emory Vaccine Center who led the laboratory analysis.
Data from this preliminary analysis show individuals receiving a booster dose of Covaxin have a significant immune response to both the Omicron and Delta variants. These findings suggest that a booster dose has the potential to reduce disease severity and hospitalizations, said the statement.
“We are in a continuous state of innovation and product development for Covaxin. The positive neutralization responses against the Omicron and Delta variants validate our hypothesis of a multi-epitope vaccine generating both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses. Our goals of developing a global vaccine against Covid-19 have been achieved with the use of Covasxin as a universal vaccine for adults and children,” said Dr Krishna Ella, Chairman and Managing Director of Bharat Biotech.
“The global impact of Omicron shows us that the fight against Covid-19 continues, and we are encouraged that these data demonstrate the value of Covaxin as a primary and booster vaccine. These results show how a broad-spectrum vaccine has the potential ability to address ever-shifting public health challenges such as new variants and mutations,” said Dr Shankar Musunuri, Chairman, CEO and Co-Founder, Ocugen, Inc.
‘OMICRON IS NOT COMMON COLD’
Meanwhile, in Wednesday’s Health Ministry briefing, Dr V.K. Paul of the Niti Aayog encouraged the people to get vaccinated. “Omicron is not common cold. It’s our responsibility to slow it down. Let’s mask up and get vaccinated, whoever is due. It’s fact they (vaccines) are helpful to an extent. Vaccination is the critical pillar of our Covid response,” he said. “There should be a rational approach for medicine use. We are concerned about the overuse and misuse of drugs. Don’t overuse. It will have an aftermath… Have warm water, do gargles in-home care,” he added.
Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Union Health Ministry on Wednesday said that a total of 115 people died across the world due to the Omicron variant of Covid-19 so far, out of which, one death has been reported in India.
Addressing the Health Ministry briefing, Agarwal said, “Total 115 confirmed deaths globally due to Omicron and 1 death in India.” “Omicron has a substantial growth advantage over Delta as per WHO…Data from South Africa, the UK, Canada, Denmark suggests a reduced risk of hospitalization for Omicron compared to Delta,” Agarwal said.
Mentioning a steep surge in coronavirus cases across India, he said, “A sharp surge in Covid cases in India with the active cases 9,55,319 today. Emerging states of concern (reporting surge in Covid cases) are Maharashtra, West Bengal, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, and Gujarat.”
“Emerging states of concerns reporting high positive rates—Maharashtra with a rate positivity rate of 22.39%, West Bengal 32.18%, Delhi 23.1% and Uttar Pradesh 4.47%,” he added.
The Joint Secretary further said that after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a review meeting on the Covid-19 situation on January 9, the health ministry has revised the discharge policy with severity categorised into mild and moderate cases. “Mild case discharge after at least seven days from testing positive and non-emergency for three successive days, no need for testing prior to discharge,” he further added.
For moderate cases, the Joint Secretary said, “If there is a resolution of symptoms, the patient maintains O2 saturation more than 93% for three successive days (without O2)..such patient will be discharged.”
India recorded as many as 194,720 fresh Covid-19 infections and 442 fatalities in the last 24 hours, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Wednesday. Delhi reported 27,561 new Covid-19 cases during the past 24 hours, the highest number of cases in a single day in the past eight months. Delhi had reported 28,395 cases on April 20 last year during the second wave of Covid-19. 40 people succumbed to the coronavirus infection in the past 24 hours, the same as June 4 last year. Mumbai reported 16,420 cases.