'Eris' Covid variant better at escaping immunity than other strains: Lancet study

New Delhi, Sep 15 (PTI) The EG.5.1 variant of SARS-CoV-2 can escape neutralising antibodies better than other currently circulating strains, giving it an advantage in infecting vaccinated or previously infected people, according to a study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal.

However, the researchers found that the increase in the ability to escape antibodies is rather moderate and by no means sufficient to completely undermine our immunity that has been established through hybrid immunity.

The team including researchers from the German Primate Center in Gottingen, Germany examined the characteristics of the Eris sublineage EG.5.1.