Study shows COVID-19 variant XBB is highly infectious, favours booster dose to protect people
The Hindu
A cohort study, which has indicated that one of Omicron’s subvariant, XBB, is highly evasive from available vaccines as 81.1% of the studied infected persons were vaccinated, has highlighted the urgent need for polyvalent vaccines, while underscoring the need for continuous genomic surveillance of SARS-COV-2 to keep a close watch on the emergence of new variants in the community.
A cohort study, which has indicated that one of Omicron’s subvariant, XBB, is highly evasive from available vaccines as 81.1% of the studied infected persons were vaccinated, has highlighted the urgent need for polyvalent vaccines. It also underscores the need for continuous genomic surveillance of SARS-COV-2 to keep a close watch on the emergence of new variants in the community.
Tamil Nadu’s State Public Health Laboratory (SPHL), where a whole genome sequencing (WGS) laboratory is functioning, decided to take a closer look at samples that tested positive for XBB variants of Omicron reported from September 2022 to January 2023.
This was following a surge in COVID-19 cases during September 2022 with reports of several breakthrough infections and re-infections in the community.
The findings and recommendations of the study — clinical characteristics and novel mutations of Omicron subvariant XBB in Tamil Nadu, India — a cohort study - was recently published in The Lancet Regional Health-South East Asia.
T.S. Selvavinayagam, Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, was the study’s lead author.
Of the 2,085 COVID-19 samples sequenced during that period, 420 were reported as XBB (20.14%) variants in the State.
Of this, 244 were selected based on collective information to study the clinico-demography of the cohort and 98 were selected for sequence studies. XBB.3 was the predominant sub-lineage of XBB identified in the study population, infecting 139 individuals; 57% of the total cases in the cohort. Next was XBB.1 that was seen in 56 individuals.
Almaya Munnettam (Lay People to the Fore), group in the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese of the Syro-Malabar Church opposed to the synod-recommended Mass, rejected a circular issued by Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil and apostolic administrator Bosco Puthur on June 9 to implement the unified Mass in the archdiocese from July 3.
Pakistan coach Gary Kirsten stated that “not so great decision making” contributed to his side’s defeat to India in the Group-A T20 World Cup clash here on Sunday. The batting unit came apart in the chase, after being well placed at 72 for two. With 48 runs needed from eight overs, Pakistan found a way to panic and lose. “Maybe not so great decision making,” Kirsten said at the post-match press conference, when asked to explain the loss.