Does vaccination against the omicron variant work? Scientists have both good and bad news – REFRESHER

Antibodies generated after vaccination with two doses of Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine could be 20- to 40-fold less effective against the new coronavirus variant omicron. This is indicated by the results of the first, very limited study, the findings of which have yet to be confirmed or refuted by further research on larger samples of people.

They expected it to get worse

However, despite the observed decrease in effectiveness, the study authors find their findings to be quite encouraging.

Some immunologists feared that existing vaccines might not provide any protection against omicron.

At the same time, the researchers found much higher protection against the omicron variant in vaccinated people who had a history of COVID-19. This suggests that vaccination with a third dose of vaccine could play an important role in this variant as well.

In a study conducted in the Republic of South Africa, the researchers studied omicron variants in laboratory conditions, which were added to the blood samples of 12 people vaccinated with two doses of vaccine from the Pfizer / BioNTech consortium.

They concluded that the ability of this vaccine to neutralize the virus could be 20- to 40-fold lower with omicron than with the original coronavirus.

Those who have overcome the coronavirus have an advantage

Virlogologist Alex Sigal, who led the research, acknowledged from the findings that omicron may have a significant ability to bypass the immune protection provided by vaccines developed against the original variant of the new coronavirus.

“We have seen a significant bypass of immune protection,” says the virologist Sigal of the African Institute for Health Research. However, given the concerns, he considers the research findings of his research team to be “relatively positive”.

The coronavirus variant beta, which, like omicron, was first identified in the Republic of South Africa, had the highest confirmed ability to circumvent vaccination protection. Omicron’s ability to withstand vaccines is five to ten times higher than beta, according to new limited research.

Presenting the results of the study, Sky News scientific editor Tom Clarke emphasized that the findings were only very preliminary and would have to be confirmed by further research on a much larger sample of people.

“The most promising finding (of this research) is that people who have been infected with the virus in the past and are being vaccinated have much better protection against omicron.” Clarke wrote.