Beijing, China

After WHO scientist's warning that the Delta variant of COVID-19 is becoming globally dominant, a Chinese disease control researcher claims that antibodies triggered by the two Chinese vaccines â€” Sinovac and Sinopharm — are less effective against it.

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According to Feng Zijian, researcher and former deputy director at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, while these shots do offer some protection against the Delta variant, compared to other variants, these shots are not that effective.   

Also read | Delta is the fastest COVID-19 variant and will pick off the most vulnerable: WHO

Feng, without naming the two vaccines said that these vaccines fall into the category of inactivated vaccines, i.e., they contain "killed" or inactivated coronavirus that cannot replicate in human cells.   

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Out of the seven vaccines developed in China under the country's mass inoculation scheme, five are inactivated vaccines. This also includes Sinopharm which is in use in countries such as Brazil, Chile and Bahrain, along with the shots developed by Sinovac Biotech.

Also read | Covid vaccines are losing efficacy against Delta variant, warns WHO epidemiologist

According to officials, the Delta variant is behind the infections in three cities in the southern Guangdong province. In one month, between May 21 and June 21, a total of 170 locally confirmed patients were reported here. However, it remains unclear that how many of them contracted the Delta variant.

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"In the Guangdong outbreak ... none of those vaccinated infections became severe cases, and none of the severe cases were vaccinated," said Feng.