WHO classifies the Indian strain as a ‘variant of global concern’.

The Indian variant, B.1.617, and its family of related mutants have been categorized as a Variant of Concern (VOC) by WHO, a forewarning that the variant has the “highest public health implications.” While there are a lot of so-called 'variants of interest', only three, other than the Indian variant (B.1.617), have been categorized as VOC - the U.K. variant (B.1.1.7), the South Africa variant (B.1.351), and the Brazilian variant (P2).

Generally, in nations that detect such variants, it is the health authorities there who identify them as possible VOC. To qualify as one, the identified variant must be bonded to increased transmission or be associated with a more dreadful disease. Concerns that the Indian variant may be playing a role in disease spread were conveyed by scientists by mid-March.

The Indian SARS-CoV2 Genomic Consortia had marked a variant with two worrisome mutations, E484Q and L452R, that were separately found in other variants elsewhere. They said that the mutations now seemed to appear together on a variant that was linked to a large number of cases in Maharashtra and began to be called 'double mutant' or even 'triple mutant', because it also had another important mutation, P614R.

In March, nearly one-fifth of the cases out of Maharashtra, which has continually been among the most affected states, were associated with the variant. Although, it was in early April that this variant became officially classified as a lineage, B.1.617. It was only after the United Kingdom's labeling it as a VOC that it was called so by health authorities in India. In fact, contrary to the United States's CDC, India still does not have a classification basis for labeling viruses as variants of interest, or concern.

Based on the prevalence, some variants may become the presiding strain in a region or multiple geographies. It then becomes the responsibility of vaccine companies to check whether their vaccines continue to be productive. Such studies have already begun in India, but while studies show that vaccines continue to be effective, some of the emerging variants do seem to be better at avoiding antibodies.

Along with observing reinfections and cases of breakthrough infections, flagging variants must be seen as a vital health response. Detecting newer variants does not always earn radical changes in public health response, such as masking up, however, they do go a long way in reminding people to continue being alert, viewing vaccines as an important defense but not a magic pill, and keeping health authorities on their toes.

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