India’s daily tally of Covid-19 infections is setting new records every day and many are worried that a new variant, which has a so-called double mutation, is fuelling the destructive second wave of cases. News18 asked Dr Aparna Mukherjee, senior scientist at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), about the double mutant strain and its role in the ongoing pandemic surge in India. Here’s what she had to say:
Can you explain what this double mutant strain of the virus is and if it behaves differently compared to the other strains we have seen in the country, so far?
What we are labelling as double mutant variant is the B.1.617 variant of SARS-CoV2. Apart from other mutations, it has two noteworthy mutations, E484Q and L425R, which can theoretically be responsible for increased transmissibility as well as probable immune escape.
What is a ‘variant of concern’ and is this double mutant a ‘variant of concern’ yet?
A variant will be labelled as a ‘variant of concern’ if it notably changes the transmissibility or the clinical presentation and severity or it has a major impact on the public health measures to be adopted. As of now this double mutant variant is a variant under investigation but not labelled as a ‘variant of concern’.
Is the double mutant driving the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic in India?
Very difficult to say. Double mutants were being identified even months before the surge started.
What is genome sequencing and why is it so important now, more than ever?
Genome sequencing will help us stay ahead of the curve and know how the virus is changing and whether any particular measures need to be taken in terms of prevention and control.
Vis-a-vis the double mutant, what will genome sequencing achieve? How will it help guide our health systems in tackling the second and possibly a third wave of the pandemic?
As of now, sequencing data will give us an idea of the variants in circulation. However, treatment does not really differ for the variants. We now know that sera from Covaxin-vaccinated individuals can neutralise this variant. Similar data will come forth for other vaccines. To tackle this and subsequent waves, what we need is prevention — Covid-appropriate behaviour to be followed by everyone, irrespective of whether they have been vaccinated or not, previously infected or not. And vaccination, as much as possible and as fast as possible.
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