Lambda, a variant of interest

World Health Organization (WHO) designated the ‘Lambda variant’ as the seventh and newest “variant of interest”, meaning it was something to watch out for.

Context

World Health Organization (WHO) designated the ‘Lambda variant’ as the seventh and newest “variant of interest”, meaning it was something to watch out for.

About the Lambda Variant

• This new emerging threat was previously known by its formal scientific name 37.
• The Lambda variant has at least seven significant mutations in the spike protein (the Delta variant has three).

Concerns over the Lambda variant

• Enhanced resistance: It has the possibility of increased transmissibility or enhanced resistance to antibodies, created either through natural infection or vaccination.
• Greater infectivity: Lambda variant had greater infectivity than the Alpha and Gamma variants (known to have originated in the UK and Brazil respectively).
• Ineffective vaccines: It also showed decreased effectiveness of the Chinese Sinovac vaccine (Coronavac) against the Lambda variant.

Reason for the designation as a “variant of interest”

• It is an acknowledgment of the fact that the variant has caused significant community transmission in multiple countries and population groups.