public engagement

Mutation, variant and vaccination strategies for COVID19

Mutational processes that lead to new COVID19 virus variants can affect vaccination strategies and public health measures. In this interview, Dr. Harsh Sheth explains what mutation is and how COVID19 variants develop.

COVID19’s RNA is made up of 30,000 letters which codes for 29 proteins. These proteins help the virus survive, thrive and multiply, once it is inside a host’s body. Like all living beings, RNA undergoes change in the genetic makeup- a process called a mutation.

Mutations can either confer negative or positive outcome to the virus’s ability to spread and multiply. When a positive outcome is obtained and virus spreads rapidily in humans, its called a variant of concern.

To understand these terminologies and biology of COVID19 genome, our Head of Advanced Genomic Technologies Division- Dr. Harsh Sheth gave an interview to Ms. Suman Borana of DD News as part of their Good News Gujarat program, which aired on 16th May 2021.

You can watch the interview in Hindi between starting at 19:32 minutes.