Double Mutant Variant COVID-19: The structure of this new double mutant variant of Covid-19 in India is very different.
- The new strain includes changes in the spike which makes it easier for the virus to spread and multiply faster also it easily enters the human body.
- Double mutant strains have been found in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujrat, West Bengal and Delhi which are responsible for a sudden hike in the number of covid-19 cases.
- It is very important to constraint and stop the spread. Also, the vaccine manufacturers need to make changes and upgrade the vaccine to fight the new stronger mutant variants.
The new strains of the coronavirus in India with “double mutations” have been found and this could be the reason for rising infections and a faster spread. Maharashtra, Delhi, West Bengal, Gujarat, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh are some of the states where double mutant strains have been found, sources said, adding that these mutants are playing a role in the fast rise in COVID-19 cases. But cannot be said that double mutants are 100 per cent responsible for the rise in cases.
Is it more dangerous?
These mutations are of concern because they are located in a key portion of the virus — the spike protein — that is used to get inside human cells which makes it easier for it to enter the body. Spike proteins attach via a “receptor binding domain”, which means that the virus can get attached to receptors in our cells. These new mutations include changes to the spike protein that make it a “better fit” for human cells.
This means the virus can enter the body more easily and multiply at a faster speed. These new mutations, it will also make it hard for our immune system to recognise the virus due to its slightly different type. Our immune system may find it difficult to recognise the virus as something it has to produce antibodies against.
Why the sudden emergence?
These new variants have only been possible because of the continued viral replication in areas with high circulation. The Indian government has said the data on the variants circulating in India is not sufficient to link them to the rapid increase in the number of cases in the country.
How should we change our response?
Other than the vaccine manufacturers’ efforts to update the composition of vaccines to better deal with new strains, it is important to contain transmission across the world. Countries can use the World Health Organization’s SARS-CoV-2 Risk Monitoring and Evaluation Framework to help identify, monitor and assess variants of concern. Most importantly protect yourself and your family and follow the basic protocols. Current surveillance and containment measures need to be strengthened to prevent the emergence of new variants.