COVID-19 new variant Pirola could be highly immune evasive: Japanese study

In a recent study, a team of Japanese researchers discovered that the new variant of COVID-19, named ‘Pirola’ or BA.2.86, could be one of the ‘highly immune evasive’ among all other variants of the virus found so far. The study on ‘Pirola’, titled ‘Transmissibility, infectivity, and immune evasion of the SARS-CoV-2 BA.2.86 variant’, has been recently published in the November edition of The Lancet’s Journal.

Reportedly, the Pirola variant was found in India in late August this year. However, it could not create any noticeable surge in cases in the country. Similar to India, there were several other countries in Europe, North America, and Africa reported to have fewer cases of the Pirola variant. Following the reporting of cases, the World Health Organization (WHO) started monitoring the variant.

While studying the newly found strain, an analysis was carried out by a team of scientists in Sato Lab, Tokyo, Japan, to examine the behaviour of the variant. According to the study, the results established that the blood samples taken from the people who have been vaccinated with extra doses or different types of vaccines did not respond any better against the Pirola or BA.2.86. Later, when the team used the antibodies that worked on the other strains, it also did not result in any positive effects on the new variant.