“Covaxin” is effective against U.K. virus variant

What is the News?
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Institute of Virology(NIV) study found Covaxin effective against the new UK variant of Covid-19.

About the Study:

• The study has found that Covaxin has a good neutralization capacity against the U.K variant of the COVID-19 virus. This capacity was the same against the strain used for making the vaccine.

How were the neutralization studies carried out?

• Under this study, the virus isolated from people is grown in the lab using cell lines. When viruses successfully grow in them, the pathogenic effects of the viruses are observed in the cells.
• The sera (the protein-rich liquid separated from blood after it is clotted) taken from vaccinated people are then added to the cell line culture system and its ability to prevent the virus from causing pathogenic effects is observed.
• In this case, the sera taken from vaccinated people were able to neutralize the virus and hence prevent pathogenic effects being produced in the cell lines containing the virus.

Further Reading on Vaccines

Source: The Hindu