COVID-19 Lambda Variant May Be Immune to Vaccines

According to researchers in Chile, the lambda COVID-19 form is not only more contagious than conventional SARS-CoV-2, but it may also be immune to vaccinations. At Houston Methodist Hospital, the first case in the United States was discovered.

Medical specialists, public health officials, and health care professionals on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly infection preventionists, are keeping up at night due to a COVID-19 variant that has proven to be resistant to vaccines. There's no cause to sound the alarm just yet, but there may—just may—be grounds to believe that the lambda COVID-19 mutation, also known as C.37, will need to be addressed at some point.

According to a preliminary study conducted by Chilean researchers, the mutation, which was initially discovered in Peru approximately a year ago and is highly infectious, may be able to elude vaccine antibodies as well.

“Our findings suggest that mutations in the lambda variant of interest's spike protein confer greater infectivity and immunological escape from neutralizing antibodies induced by CoronaVac,” the study concludes. CoronaVac is a vaccine made by a Chinese manufacturer that is widely used in Peru. “These data reinforce the idea that massive vaccination campaigns in countries with high SARS-CoV-2 circulation must be accompanied by strict genomic surveillance allowing the identification of new isolates carrying spike mutations, as well as immunology studies aimed at determining the impact of these mutations on immune escape and vaccine breakthrough,” the study continues.

According to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, Peru has the highest COVID-19 fatality rate of any country in the world: roughly 600 deaths per 100,000 people infected with COVID-19. That's nearly twice as much as Hungary, which has the second highest COVID-19 death rate. Since April, the lambda version has been the COVID carrier in around 81 percent of infections in Peru, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Last month, the WHO designated the lambda variation as a variant of interest. The lambda variety has spread to more than 30 nations, including the United Kingdom.

According to different news outlets, including Axios, the first case of lambda variant was discovered roughly two days ago at Houston Methodist Hospital. This is an interesting occurrence, given that Houston Methodist Hospital recently made news for being the first hospital in the United States to require all of its personnel to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. According to Infection Control Today®, 153 Houston Methodist Hospital employees quit or were dismissed as a result of not receiving the vaccine. COVID-19 infections have been on the rise in the Houston area, according to KHOU 11. Officials at Houston Methodist Hospital have not said if the loss of those 153 staff has hampered the hospital's ability to handle the increase of patients.

The Chilean researchers write, "Our data demonstrate that the lambda variant's spike protein confers immunological escape to neutralizing antibodies generated by the CoronaVac vaccination," indicating the issues the lambda variation poses. It's yet unclear whether the lambda version is immune to the cellular reaction elicited by CoronaVac. We also discovered that the lambda variant's spike protein had higher infectivity when compared to the spike proteins of the Alpha and Gamma versions, both of which had higher infectivity and transmissibility.”

The introduction of the lambda form, according to Kevin Kavanagh, MD, a member of ICTEditorial ®'s Advisory Board, highlights the need to view vaccines as only one layer of protection against COVID-19 infection, and that they should be used in conjunction with masks and goggles.

“It's crucial to note that a good mask or respirator can limit virus exposure by up to sixfold, making them an important supplement to vaccines with low efficacy,” Kavanagh informs ICT®. “We must strive to prevent death as well as long-term disability.”

Slow the spread of COVID-19 and its mutations, says Kavanagh. Despite the fact that the lambda form isn't found in the United States, Kavanagh says it "underscores the need for travel restrictions, including quarantining of returning [travelers], regardless of vaccination status." “We also need to move away from our current two-tiered advisory system for vaccinated and unvaccinated people. We should all get vaccinated against the lambda and delta variants and follow public health advice.”