The Corona virus that causes COVID-19 continues to mutate to produce new variants. COVID-19 Lambda variant is one of the mutation variants of the Corona virus which is starting to be found in many countries, but has not been confirmed to enter Indonesia.
Lambda variant COVID-19 or C.37 was first identified in Peru in December 2020. Lambda variant COVID-19 has 2 mutations in the protein receptor binding domain spike SARS-CoV-2 virus, namely L452Q and F490S mutations.
The Lambda variant of the Corona virus was first found in many South American countries. However, this virus is known to have spread to various other countries, such as the UK, the United States, and Canada.
The symptoms of the Lambda variant of COVID-19 are not much different from the symptoms of COVID-19 in general, namely fever, cough, runny nose, muscle aches, headache, weakness and impaired sense of smell (anosmia).
COVID-19 Lambda Variant
The previously discovered variants of COVID-19, namely the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Gamma variants, have now been categorized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a variant that needs to be watched out for (variants of concern).
This classification indicates that these variants have been shown to be more infectious and are at risk of causing more severe or difficult-to-treat COVID-19 symptoms.
Unlike the COVID-19 Lambda variant, until now this variant is still classified as a variant that needs attention (variant of interest).
This is because the Lambda variant of COVID-19 is predicted to have the potential to spread more quickly, cause more severe COVID-19 symptoms, or decrease the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine.
However, until now, there is not enough evidence of these things. Therefore, research and monitoring are still being carried out to determine whether the Lambda variant of COVID-19 is more dangerous than other variants or not.
However, it is possible that the Lambda variant of COVID-19 will be classified as variant of concern. This can happen, if later the Lambda variant of COVID-19 is proven to be more easily and quickly transmitted or causes more severe COVID-19 symptoms.
The Ability of the COVID-19 Vaccine Against COVID-19 Lambda Variant
WHO stated that the current COVID-19 vaccine is still capable and effective in shaping the body's immune response to the SARS-CoV-2 virus and its variants, including the Lambda variant.
This is evidenced by a study that discussed the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines, such as the Astrazeneca vaccine and the mRNA vaccine, against the Lambda variant of COVID-19. This research states that the COVID-19 vaccine in full doses can still provide protection against the Lambda variant of COVID-19 and other variant types of the Corona virus.
Thus, it can be concluded that COVID-19 vaccination remains an effective way to slow the spread of the disease and lower the risk of suffering from severe symptoms from COVID-19 infection, including Lambda variants.
Therefore, don't hesitate to undergo the COVID-19 vaccination if you have received the quota and vaccination schedule, OK?
In addition, it is important to continue to apply the applicable health protocols, such as wearing a mask, washing hands frequently with running water and soap or hand sanitizer, maintain physical distance from other people, and avoid crowds, to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 disease.
If you still have questions regarding the Lambda variant COVID-19 or the COVID-19 vaccine, you can also ask the doctor via chat in the ALODOKTER application.
