Rahul Gandhi slams Centre over Delta Plus variant: ‘Why no large-scale testing?’

• Shubham
• 25 June, 2021

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By: Shubham Ghosh

FORMER Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday (25) questioned the Narendra Modi government asking why large-scale testing is not being carried out to check and prevent the spread of the Delta-plus variant of Covid-19. He also sought to know the effectiveness of vaccines against the new variant.

The opposition leader, who earlier this week unveiled a “white paper” to attack the Centre over its Covid management, wrote on Twitter in Hindi, “Questions to the Modi government on Delta plus variant: Why is testing not being done on a large scale to check and prevent it? How effective are the vaccines against it and when will complete information be available? What is the plan to control it in the third wave of the virus.”

The Delta Plus variant is said to be more infectious and several studies are underway on the mutant variant.

According to the Indian health ministry, INSACOG (Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomic Consortia) has informed that the Delta Plus variant is currently a “Variant of Concern (VOC)” and it has characteristics of higher transmissibility, stronger binding to receptors of lung cells and potential fall in monoclonal antibody response.

As of June 22, three Indian states – Maharashtra, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh – have reported of the Delta Plus variant. The government of Maharashtra has decided to bring back some Covid-related restrictions following reporting of Delta Plus variant cases in the state. It also reported on Friday the first confirmed death by the new variant of Covid-19.

The health ministry has also advised to ramp up containment measures in the affected districts of the three states.