ICMR study also states 58% didn’t show antibodies after 1st Covishield jab
A new study by the researchers from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has claimed that neutralising antibodies against the Delta variant of coronavirus was not observed in 16.1% of those who had been administered both doses of Covishield.
Moreover, neutralising antibodies were not observed in 58.1% of serum samples from those given one shot of the Serum Institute’s Covishield, sources added.
The titres of the neutralising antibodies – that specifically target the Sars-CoV-2 virus and kill it or prevent it from entering human cells – were also lower against the Delta variant as compared to the B1 variant that led to the first wave of infections in India.
As compared to B1, the neutralising antibody titres against the Delta variant were 78% less in those who received one shot, 69% in those who received two shots, 66% in those who had the infection and received one shot, and 38% in those who had the infection and received both shots.
The researchers also stated that neutralising antibody titres were significantly higher in those who had the infection prior to vaccination. “(This) highlights the fact that even one dose in convalescent (or recovered) patients is enough to provide effective protection against reinfection of SARS-CoV-2 or protection against newly emerging variants,” the study said.
Vax testing facilities set up in Pune, Hyderabad
In view of enhanced vaccine production, the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) has set up two additional facilities to expedite testing and pre-release certification of the vaccines, according to a statement on Sunday. Currently, the country has a Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) at Kasauli, which is the National Control Laboratory for issuing testing and pre-release certification of immunobiologicals (vaccines and antisera) meant for human use in India. “The Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, has set up two vaccine-testing facilities in its autonomous research institutes — National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS), Pune, and National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NIAB), Hyderabad — as central drugs laboratory for batch testing and quality control of vaccines,” the statement said.
