CoronaVac is a vaccine being used in several Asian countries, and works by administering an inactive version of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which then triggers an immune response. However, in another pre-print paper, Lambda was found to have mutations that had “the ability to escape from neutralising antibodies elicited by CoronaVac”. The results of this paper suggest that vaccines in current use will remain protective against the Lambda variant. Both the Pfizer and the Moderna coronavirus vaccines used in the UK are mRNA jabs, meaning they contain genetic material that instructs the body’s cells to produce coronavirus spikes, which then provokes an immune response. In a pre-print paper that has not yet been peer-reviewed, researchers found that mRNA vaccines are effective against the Lambda variant. Will vaccines still work against the Lambda variant? In the week leading up to 17 November 2021, there were 67,070 new cases of the Delta variant. We are closely monitoring the situation in those countries where this variant is prevalent and where cases are detected in the UK, we are testing contacts and will undertake targeted case finding if required.”Ī report by PHE on the variants of concern or under investigation in the UK shows that the Delta variant continues to be the prominent strain in the UK. “PHE, together with academic partners, is undertaking investigations to better understand the impact of the mutations on the behaviour of the virus. “There is currently limited evidence available about this variant,” Dr Alicia Demirjian, COVID Incident Director at Public Health England (PHE), told BBC Science Focus magazine. There have been no cases reported in the UK within the last four weeks.
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The majority of these are linked to overseas travel, according to a PHE spokesperson. How many cases of the Lambda variant have been detected in the UK?Īs of 26 November 2021, there have been eight confirmed cases of the C.37 variant in the UK. The Lambda variant will only be designated a variant of concern if it is deemed to either: increase the transmissibility of the virus show a detrimental change in its epidemiology increase in virulence change the disease presentation/symptoms or shows decrease in the effectiveness of testing, treatment, and prevention measures such as vaccinations. This would happen if the strain “demonstrated properties of increased transmissibility”, or “if it has increased severity,” she said. Lambda was classified as a variant of interest at the global level by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 15 June 2021.Īs a variant of interest, the WHO considers Lambda to have mutations with established, or suspected, implications for its transmissibility and severity, and has been detected in multiple countries.ĭr Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO’s technical lead on COVID-19, said that the organisation is tracking the strain to see if it should be classified as a variant of concern. A map of occurrences of the C.37 Lambda variant of coronavirus, as of 29 September 2021 ©