The Delta variant is eight times less sensitive to antibodies generated by Covid-19 vaccine compared to the original Wuhan strain, according to a study conducted on 100 healthcare workers across three centres in Delhi, including the Gangaram Hospital.
The study also found that the variant has much higher capacity to infect more people than the Wuhan strain. The collaborative study from India was conducted along with scientists from Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology & Infectious Disease.
In terms of its increased transmissibility, the study said that the mutant variant has enhanced spike proteins for attachment to the lung epithelial cells, which had provided it with a much higher capacity to infect many more people than the Wuhan strain.
Doctors who conducted the study say, we have to go miles before we sleep in case of the Covid-19 pandemic. They added that the study is an eye opener to the fully vaccinated people that they cannot lower guard in the name of vaccination.