Covid-19 : The Indian variant more contagious and more resistant to the vaccine, according to WHO

The Indian variant of the new coronavirus is said to be not only more contagious, but also more resistant to vaccines. Chief Scientist of the World Health Organization (WHO), Soumya Swaminathan warned on Saturday that the B.1.617 variant «as some mutations which increase transmission, and which also potentially could make (it) resistant to antibodies that are generated by vaccination or by natural infection».

Speaking to AFP, she explains that the variant is a contributing factor to the catastrophe unfolding in India.

Overall, it is difficult to fight against the virus because «it's then involving tens of thousands of people and it's multiplying at a rate at which it's very difficult to stop», she added.

Soumya Swaminathan warns that vaccination would not be enough to control the situation.

According to her, «the more the virus is replicating and spreading and transmitting, the more chances are that... mutations will develop and adapt». «Variants which accumulate a lot of mutations may ultimately become resistant to the current vaccines that we have», she warned.