Omicron variant, Israel data on third dose vaccine: the reaction of the experts

The third dose of the Covid vaccine also appears to work on the Omicron variant. The data coming from Israel are showing signs of optimism. “From what we have seen in South Africa, the current vaccines also seem to protect against the Omicron variant. And the Italian citizen himself, positive to the new variant and vaccinated with a double dose, has no symptoms. This leads us to deduce that the vaccine works” says the director of the Inmi Spallanzani of Rome, Francesco Vaia, at SkyTg24. “I believe what Anthony Fauci said during the very recent National Congress of Infectious Diseases. Presenting the data on the third dose, the colleague pointed out that there is an almost double increase in antibody response and also a longer duration. This is the first. data coming from Israel, which vaccinated much more than us with the booster, could give us more than hope that the third dose can also protect us from the Omicron variant “highlights at Adnkronos Salute Massimo Andreoni, head of infectious disease at the Tor Vergata Polyclinic in Rome and scientific director of the Italian Society of Infectious and Tropical Diseases (Simit). According to Andreoni, “now we need a cautious optimism, we await the in vitro data on Omicron and the antibody response of the vaccine, but in the meantime vaccinate, vaccinate and vaccinate”. “The third dose also seems to work on the Omicron variant, so within a week a speculative bubble has shrunk rather than a public health problem. We are nervous, starting with our Minister of Health, instead we need to be calm. you always keep your finger on the trigger you end up shooting even when not needed. Attention “Matteo Bassetti, head of the infectious diseases department of the San Martino hospital in Genoa, told Adnkronos Health, commenting on the first data arriving from Israel on the recall “It’s welcome that vaccines also work on the Omicron variant, I personally found the speech at the Moderna summit in bad taste that said that they have a vaccine coming in 2022 that covers Omicron, while the current one does not – he says. infectious disease specialist – When it comes to vaccine and medicine, it is not the people who produce it should speak, but the doctors and scientists who have studied it and know it. and conflict of interest and miscommunication to the population about the third dose, regardless of what arrives in 2022 “. “Israel is providing the world with an extraordinary experience and the fact that it says that based on the very first results” with three doses of the anti-Covid vaccine “there could be protection” from the Omicron variant “is good news. It will have to be confirmed, but knowing the I find the seriousness of the Israelis and how rigorous they are in giving data, I find it extremely reassuring, “Roberto Cauda, ​​director of infectious diseases of the Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome, told Adnkronos Salute. “Israel is the laboratory of the world – remembers the infectious specialist – in the sense that it vaccinated the population before all the others in a very short period, it was the first to realize that immunity tended to decrease as we moved away from vaccination period especially against the infection and this led to vaccinating “with the third dose” first the over 60s and then everyone. And now he is also vaccinating children “. Regarding the Omicron variant, however, the preliminary data provided “are not surprising – the expert points out – because if you take the third dose it is possible that there may be an enhanced response that even if the Spike protein” of the variant “is not identical “to the Spike we are immunized against,” manages to block it.