A preliminary study conducted by AIIMS, New Delhi has thrown up shocking results. The COVID-19 Delta variant can infect people despite inoculation with two doses of the Covaxin or Covishield vaccines, it said. The study was conducted on 63 people, of which 36 were fully vaccinated and 27 partially. Some 53 were vaccinated with Covaxin and the rest with Covishield.
The average age of the cohort was 37, of which 41 were males and 22 females and none had any comorbidities. All got 'breakthrough infections', which happen when vaccines fail to provide immunity against the pathogen they are designed to target. Viral load at the time of diagnosis was high in all patients irrespective of vaccination status or type of vaccine received.
No deaths were reported but the patients had a continuous high fever for 5-7 days. The Delta variant or B.1.617.2 was first reported in India and has high transmissibility. The variant is behind the deadly second wave of COVID-19 infection in India.
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