Covishield, Covaxin effective against Delta variant- Health Secretary

The Delta plus mutation is present in nine countries including India, which has 22 cases. These Delta Plus variant cases have surfaced in Maharashtra's Ratnagiri and Jalgaon, parts of Kerala and Madhya Pradesh. "The Centre has sent an advisory to these states about their public health response. We don't want this small number to take a bigger form," said VK Paul, the head of the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration on Tuesday in New Delhi. The Delta variant, the origin of this mutation, is in 80 countries. Dr Paul said the Delta Plus was now in the US, UK, Portugal, Switzerland, Japan, Poland, Russia and China besides India. "Right now it is a variant of interest, not variant of concern," he said. 

The government said while the two vaccines being used in India, Covishield and Covaxin, are effective against Delta variant, it would soon give data on Delta Plus,said Rajesh Bhushan, Union Health Secretary. Speaking on the overall situation, the government said that it is improving but stressed on following Covid-19-appropriate behaviours. It said there has been an almost 90 per cent decline in India's daily Covid-19 cases as compared to the highest peak reported on May 7.