Covid-19 cases spike in India too: Is ‘Pirola’ descendant a threat as vaccine immunity declines?

India is witnessing a surge in COVID -19 cases, with most of them being reported from states like Kerala, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. The fresh spike is caused by JN.1 sub-variant of the BA.2.86, also known as ‘Pirola’ strain, belonging to the Omicron lineage.

Experts have raised concerns that this strain can dodge existing immunity and can spread from human to human rapidly.

“This strain can evade existing immunity and is more transmissible. But it has so far not differed much from the symptoms associated with Omicron,” Dr Jatin Ahuja, infectious disease specialist at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, Delhi, was quoted as saying by the Indian Express.

More about the JN.1 variant?

JN.1 is a version of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 with about 30 changes in its structure. These changes don’t necessarily make it more dangerous, but they help the virus slip past our immune system.

The changes are in the spike protein, which the virus uses to enter our cells, making it easier for JN.1 to spread.

Is ‘Pirola’ descendant a threat as vaccine immunity declines?

Even though it’s been a while since the Omicron wave, our immune system’s memory T cells and B cells can still fight it. These cells “remember” the virus from past infections or vaccines, helping to reduce how severe the illness gets.

A study in PLoS Pathogens shows T cells can recognise parts of the Omicron variant, and B cells make antibodies that can stop it.

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Who needs to be extra careful?

People with health issues like uncontrolled diabetes, chronic kidney disease, HIV, or those who’ve had transplants need to be extra careful. The elderly, pregnant women, and children are also at higher risk.

Do we need new vaccines?

Older vaccines, made for earlier strains using weakened or inactivated virus, don’t work as well against JN.1.

Newer mRNA vaccines, like Gemcovac-19, are better because they can be updated for new variants. They use lab-made mRNA to trigger an immune response.

However, Gemcovac-19 isn’t widely available. Unlike other mRNA vaccines that require freezing temperatures, this one can be stored at 2 to 8 degrees Celsius, making it easier to handle. mRNA vaccines are great for preventing infection as they can be quickly adjusted for new variants.