Covid-19: the emergence of the Indian variant in France, "a matter of days", according to Karine Lacombe

At a time when the Elysée is welcoming a new Defense Council which could sound a gradual relaxation of health instructions, the approach of the Indian variant of Covid-19 invites restraint.

"The Indian variant will arrive in France, it's a matter of days", estimates this Wednesday morning on France Info the infectious disease specialist Karine Lacombe.

Coronavirus "double mutant" in India: "It has in particular two mutations, appeared on the Spike protein. It can be resistant to vaccination or to treatments", explains Karine Lacombe, infectious disease

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"It is obvious that this variant will arrive, it is a matter of days and it is probably already in France", she continues.

PCR tests, which can detect this variant, should soon raise the alarm.

If the wolf is already in the sheepfold, the objective is now to break the chain of transmission to prevent this variant, threatening in more than one respect, from developing on the territory.

A variant that is resistant to vaccines

This variant of the coronavirus is all the more frightening because it is a "double mutant".

“In particular, it has two mutations

(Editor's note, E484Q present in the

South African and Brazilian variants

, and L452R also present in the Californian variant)

which could lead to resistance to vaccination or even to treatment such as monoclonal antibodies, explains Karine Lacombe.

These are mutations that have appeared in this famous Spike protein […] which gives the virus its crown shape, ”she describes.

Read alsoCovid-19: why India worries the whole world

Consequently, the variant could prove to be resistant "to vaccination or to treatments", indicates the infectious disease specialist.

“The vaccines currently developed make it possible to produce antibodies against this Spike protein, and when it is mutated the antibodies will not recognize this protein and the vaccinated person could nevertheless acquire the virus and develop the disease.

Knowledge of the Indian variant, called B.1.617, evolves over the days.

For the moment, no link has been established between its emergence and the recent deterioration of the epidemiological situation in India, especially attributed to the recent gigantic gatherings in the country.

India's health situation is deteriorating at lightning speed. France could soon harden its reception conditions for travelers from the second most populous country in the world, as Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian implied on Sunday on France 3.