'Delta' variant found to infect vaccinated people, says AIIMS study

NEW DELHI: A preliminary study conducted by the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) Delhi claimed that the presence of COVID-19 Delta variant (B1.617.2) is predominantly found even after getting a single dose or both doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

The study included 63 people who got breakthrough infections; of which 36 patients received two doses, while 27 had received one dose of vaccine.

"SARS-CoV-2 lineages could be assigned for a total of 36 (57.1 per cent) samples, 19 (52.8 per cent) in patients who completed both doses and 17 (47.2 per cent) in patients who completed only a single dose. B.1.617.2 was found to be the predominant lineage with 23 samples (63.9 per cent) out of which 12 were in fully vaccinated and 11 in partially vaccinated groups. 4 (11.1 per cent) and 1 (2.8 per cent) samples were assigned the lineages B.1.617.1 and B.1.1.7 respectively. The B.1.617.2 lineage was first described in India and associated with increased transmissibility as well as immune escape and has grown to become one of the predominant lineages in India," the AIIMS study said.

Ten patients received Covishield while 53 received Covaxin, of which 41 were males and 22 were females.

"Our analysis included 63 cases of vaccine breakthrough infections for which the dates of vaccines could be ascertained, of which 36 patients received two doses, while 27 had received one dose of vaccine. Ten patients received AZD1222/Covishield while 53 received BBV152/Covaxin," the study read.

Meanwhile, according to a Reuters report, India is close to agreeing to grant foreign Covid-19 vaccine makers such as Pfizer Inc protection against legal liability so that it can use their shots in an immunisation campaign that is facing acute shortages.

"Indemnity will be granted," said one of the sources. "If one company gets it then all of them get it."

India invited Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson in April to sell their vaccines after infections rocketed. However, no deal has been signed.