Omicron variant is less likely to stop reinfection

New studies suggest that the latest version of the highly infectious omicron variant spreads even faster than the original, and that mild cases of the former might not offer much protection against future infections.

The findings cast doubt on hopes that the wave of omicron sweeping the globe could help hasten the end of the pandemic. Calls for governments to treat COVID-19 as an endemic disease, like the flu, are mounting around the world as people tire of pandemic restrictions, vaccines become more accessible and deaths are still relatively low.

The production of neutralizing antibodies during an omicron infection appears to be related to the severity of the disease, according to a report by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, which was published online before being peer-reviewed.

The milder form of most omicron cases in vaccinated people may leave those who recover from them still vulnerable to the existing virus and to future variants that emerge, the researchers said.

Protection against a natural infection was about a third of that from a booster shot, according to the study.

“Our results suggest that the immunity induced by omicron may not be sufficient to prevent the infection of another more pathogenic variant, should it arise in the future.”, the researchers said. “They also highlight the continued importance of booster shots to improve immunity, as infection in vaccinated people alone may not be reliable.” to protect against repeat infection or future disease from new strains, they said.

more contagious

The second study showed that a second-generation omicron form looks even more transmissible than the original.

The study revealed that 39% of people infected with a BA.2 subvariant would likely infect others in their households, compared to 29% of carriers of the original version. The study looked at data collected from 8,541 households in December and January in Denmark, where the new subvariant has become dominant.

The risk of infection with either type was higher in people who were not vaccinated, which underlines a positive effect of vaccinationthe researchers said.

The results reinforce work by UK health authorities published last week that the omicron sub-variant appears even more contagious than the original, fast-spreading variant. That analysis also showed that booster shots remain an effective shield, the UK Health Security Agency said on Friday.

While BA.1 remains the most dominant type worldwide, recent trends suggest BA.2 is on the rise in some countries, including India, South Africa, the United Kingdom and Denmark, the World Health Organization said last month. last.

None of the studies have undergone the extensive peer review that is customary before new findings are formally published. The Danish study was conducted by scientists from the University of Copenhagen, Statistics Denmark, the Technical University of Denmark, and the Statens Serum Institut. The other study was led by Charles Chiu of the University of California, San Francisco.

The omicron subvariant appears to be more contagious, but data so far does not show it to be more dangerous. or that circumvents the protection of vaccines, said Scott Gottlieb, former commissioner of the United States Food and Drug Administration. In the worst case, the variant could slow the decline in omicron infections in the US, he said on the show “face the nation” from CBS.