Lok Sabha Question No. 3987 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-19
Subject: Mutations of COVID Virus
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Meenakashi Lekhi, Kirti Vardhan Singh, Y. S. Avinash Reddy, Raghu Ramakrishna Raju Kanumuru

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH RESEARCH

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3987 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19 TH MARCH, 2021

## MUTATIONS OF COVID V IRUS

## 3987. SHRIMATI MEENAKASHI LEKHI: SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN S INGH: SHRI Y.S. AVINASH REDDY: SHRI KANUMURU RAGHU RAMA KRISHNA RAJU:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WE LFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of mutations of the COVID - 19 virus present in India;
- (b) whether the vaccines developed in India are effective against each of these mutations;
- (c) if so, the details thereof along with the efficacy rate of Covaxin and Covishield vaccines against each of the mutations;
- (d)  whether  the  Government  is  undertaking  research to  better  understand  each  of  these  new mutatio ns of the virus, if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether the Government has any reported cases of Covid strain from South Africa and Brazil across the country, if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government in this regard to check the fur therspread of the infectious and fatal Covid strain of South Africa and Brazil; and
- (f) whether the Government proposes to bring about changes in the existing vaccines available in the country to check the further spread of these two mutant strains d if so, the steps initiated by the Government in this direction?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a):At present, there are four mutations of theCOVID - 19 virus in India, namely, U.K. variant 1,U.K.  variant 2, South African  variant  and Brazil variant .
- (b) & (c) : The efficacy of COVAXIN against SARS - CoV - 2 has been examined. The efficacy rate of Covaxin and Covishield vaccines against each of the mutations is as under:
- (d) : Continuous monitoring of evolution of mutations is being done by the Indian SARS -CoV - 2 Genomics Surveillance Consortium (INSACOG). Besides, National Institute of Virology (NIV ) is continuously engaged in virus isolation of different SARS - CoV - 2 strains for further research .
- (e) : Strains from South Africa and Brazil hav e been detected in travelers coming to India from the said countries. In order to curtail spread of these variants in India the Govt .has issued revised guidelines for International arrivals on 17" February 2021 which can be accessed at. https://www mohfw.gov.in/pdf/Guidelinesforinternationalarrivals17022021.pdf. As      per    th e guidelines, screening  of passengers  coming  from  South  Africa,  Brazil  and  UA E  has  been  made  very stringent to prevent spread of infection due to variants .
- (f):The Oxford/ AstraZeneca have initiated tweaking of the vaccine to make it efficacious against the mutant strains parti cularly he South African variant. The need to change composition of Covaxin has not been felt yet in view of good efficacy of the vaccine variants.

| Strain              | Cov axin                                                       | Covishield/Oxford                                                                  |
|---------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| UK Strain           | Non - significant difference in efficacy against UK Strain     | Efficacy against symptomatic SARS- CoV - 2 positive infection is against UK strain |
| South Africa Strain | Analysis is ongoing                                            | 10% efficacy                                                                       |
| Brazil Strain       | Non - significant difference in efficacy against Brazil Strain | Effective                                                                          |