Pune: Scientists at the Pune-National Institute of Virology-Based Medical Research Council (ICMR) have succeeded in isolating the Omicron strain from the Coronavirus novel in the Bio-End security laboratory in Pashan.
The move is important in assessing the efficacy of vaccines and antibodies induced by natural infections in thwarting severe diseases.
“The omicron variant of the virus, with all changes in signatures (mutations), has been isolated.
This is the achievement of historical milestones that will further facilitate vaccine efficacy studies.
In the next two weeks, we will be able to effectively measure the efficacy of the covishield and covaxin vaccine against the variant.
Only, “said an ICMR official to Ti on Wednesday.
This exercise will also find answers to other critical questions: Do new variants rule out the antibodies that exist in those who have suffered from a Covid disease from the old strain? “Virus isolation is a significant achievement and future first step to find out this.
Now, we can take neutralization studies to assess the efficacy of covaxin-induced antibodies and covishield and antibodies induced by natural infections to omicron laboratory tensions.” The official said.
A neutralization study is the best way to assess the efficacy of vaccines and reinfection opportunities.
Through this, scientists will also be in a position to compare the level of ability to neutralize the antibodies induced by vaccines and antibodies induced by natural infections to older strains (such as delta) and new omicron variants.
“And outside the experiment of cell culture, the protective ability of a vaccine induced antibody and natural infection can also be studied now in the animal model against Omicron,” said another virology.
Infection by SARS-COV-2 tension began the immune response to the entire virus, and not only against certain parts such as ‘nails’.
This is why experts believe mutations cannot significantly affect the protective shield.
There are 1,273 amino acids on the protein surge in viruses that trigger an immune response.
The new Omicron variant has 32 amino acid changes or mutations in protein S.
So, the assumption that the vaccine will offer protection against a new strain that sounds logical, experts say.