New Delhi, June 9: Bharat Biotech's COVAXIN offers protection from Delta (B.1.617.2) as well as Beta (B.1.351) variants of COVID-19, revealed a study. Scientists at the Indian Council of Medical Research- National Institute of Virology (NIV) conducted the study in this regard. The Delta Variant of coronavirus was first detected in India, while the Beta variant (B.1.351) was first found in South Africa. COVID-19 Vaccine Price at Private Hospitals: Centre Fixes Maximum Price for Vaccine Doses, Covishield At Rs 780 per dose, Covaxin At Rs 1,410, Sputnik V at Rs 1,145.

The study is currently a pre-print and yet to be peer-reviewed. It is based on samples from 20 people who have recovered from the deadly virus and samples from 17 people 28 days after received both the doses of Bharat Biotech's vaccine. The study claims that COVAXIN gives protection against the two variants of COVID-19. COVID-19 Vaccination: 25 Crore Doses Of Covishield And 19 Crore Of Covaxin To Be Procured To Achieve Universalization Of Vaccination.

Notably, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) director Balram Bhargava is one of the authors of the study. Dr. Pragya Yadav, scientist 'E' and group leader, maximum containment facility, ICMR-NIV, told Indian express that a reduction in neutralisation titre values in people vaccinated with COVAXIN against Beta and Delta variants was observed. However, he added that it was lower in people who had been naturally infected.

COVAXIN, along with the Serum Institute of India's Covishield, got the Drug Controller General of India's (DCGI) approval for restricted emergency use in January this year. On Tuesday, NITI Aayog Member (Health) VK Paul and AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria said that Indian NITI Aayog Member (Health) V.K. Paul and AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria.

Meanwhile, a study published in MedRxiv claimed that seropositivity rates and the median anti-spike antibody titre were significantly higher in Covishield as compared to COVAXIN. The study is titled, Antibody Response after Second-dose of ChAdOx1-nCOV (CovishieldTM) and BBV-152 (CovaxinTM) among Health Care Workers in India.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 09, 2021 11:31 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).