By Ana Rufa Padua

Delta variant cases are not the only COVID-19 cases to look out for, as cases related to a similar variant called the “Lambda variant” catch the attention of health workers and researchers overseas.

The Lambda variant was first detected in Peru in the later quarters of 2020 and has also been spreading through South America in places such as Texas and South Carolina. 

According to the World Health Organization’s June 2021 report, the Lambda variant has been detected in 29 countries, including Argentina, Ecuador, and Chile. A report by National Geographic in July 2021 also claims that the said variant is responsible for 90% of Peru’s COVID-19 cases.  

Japanese researchers have conducted a preliminary study regarding the variant and found that just like the Delta variant, the Lambda variant could be highly infectious and more resistant to vaccines than the original version of the virus first detected in Wuhan, China.

Five mutations were found in Lambda’s spike protein, three help it resist neutralization by antibodies induced by vaccines, while the remaining two mutations contribute to the infection rate of the variant. 

Likewise, the Tokyo study also claims that the said variant may be a bit resistant to antibodies produced by the mRNA vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, but it is not resistant enough to significantly weaken protection against COVID-19 infection.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire says that the new variant has yet to reach the Philippine shores and is continuously being studied by the Philippine Genome Center.

“Ito pong Lambda variant ay patuloy na pinag-aaralan ng ating Philippine Genome Center, pero sa ngayon pa ay wala pa ho tayong detection of it out of the more than 8,000 samples that we have sequenced,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said.

As of the moment, the Lambda is still considered a variant of interest as researchers are still verifying the claims in the preliminary study made by the Japanese researchers before considering it as a variant of concern (VOC). 

According to the WHO, a variant is considered a VOC if it meets at least one of the following criteria:

• Increase in transmissibility or detrimental change in COVID-19 epidemiology
• Increase in virulence or change in clinical disease presentation
• Decrease in effectiveness of public health and social measures or available diagnostics, vaccines, therapeutics

For more information regarding the different variants, you may visit the World Health Organization’s website at www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019 or find out where to register your vaccine appointment through this article.

REFERENCES: 

Alpert, B. (2021, August 4). Lambda Variant: Should the Covid-19 Variant Worry You? Not if You’re Vaccinated. Barron’s. www.barrons.com/articles/lambda-variant-delta-vaccine-resistance-51628096302

Diamond, F. (2021, July 30). Lambda Variant of COVID-19 Might Be Resistant to Vaccines. Infection Control Today. www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/lambda-variant-of-covid-19-might-be-resistant-to-vaccines

Jackson, J. (2021, August 4). Lambda vs. Delta COVID Variant: What We Know So Far About the Different Strains. Newsweek. www.newsweek.com/lambda-vs-delta-covid-variant-what-we-know-so-far-about-different-strains-1616167

Magsambol, B. (2021, August 4). COVID-19 Lambda variant not yet detected in PH – DOH. Rappler. www.rappler.com/nation/doh-no-case-covid-19-lambda-variant-detected-yet-philippines-august-4-2021

Team, D. F. T. V. (2021, August 5). COVID-19 lambda variant: What to know about the coronavirus strain. FOX 13 Tampa Bay. www.fox13news.com/news/covid-19-lambda-variant-what-to-know-about-the-coronavirus-strain