WHO has classified the B.1.617 variant as Variant of Concern (VoC). The variant emerged in Maharashtra in late 2020 and has spread across India and at least 40 countries. B.1.617 and its subsets contain mutations in spike-like S protein that the virus uses to bind to and infect cells. There are fears the two key mutations L452R and E484Q seen in the receptor binding domain (RBD) will raise infectivity and lead to evasion of neutralising antibodies. There need to be more studies on re-infections, breakthrough infections, mortality and geographic spread of this variant. A few studies say that the current COVID-19 jabs do offer protection against the variant but to what degree needs to be studied.