What is COVID Variant of Concern?

May 8, 2021

The UK scientists recently declared the new COVID-19 strains found in India as the “Variant of Concern”.

What are the criteria to name a virus as “Variant of Concern”?

Various national and international organisations such as CDC (Centre for Disease Control and Prevention), COVID-19 Genomics UK Consortium and Canadian COVID Genomics Network use the following criteria:

Increase in transmissibility
Increase in mortality
Increase in morbidity
Increased risk of LONG COVID
The ability of the mutant to evade diagnostic test
Decrease in susceptibility to antiviral drugs
Ability to evade natural immunity
Ability to infect vaccinated individuals
Increased affinity towards a particular demographic group

When one or all these criteria are met, then the variant is named as “Variant of Interest” or “Variant under Investigation”.

After validation or verification, it is named as “Variant of Concern”.

Why is Indian Variant named Variant of Concern?

According to the scientists in the UK, of all the COVID-19 variants, the Indian variant spreads more quickly than its original version. The COVID-19 variant, B.1.617.2, which is also informally called the double mutant variety was first found in India.

UK has reported five hundred cases infected with this variant recently. This grew so rapidly from meagre 202 in a single week.

Current Scenario

The double mutant has spread to more than dozen countries that is forcing them to restrict movements from India.

Concerns

India is the biggest vaccine producer in the world. Currently, India is struggling to produce and distribute enough doses.
Recently, the inoculation rates in India have fallen sharply. India had set a target of administering four million vaccines per day. However, it is down to 2.5 million per day due to vaccine shortages.
Hospitals in the country are running out of bed and medical oxygen.
Morgues and Crematorium are not able to handle the increasing number of dead.