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First real world data: Omicron may evade our immunity

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First real world data: Omicron may evade our immunity


News Report
December 04, 2021



First real world data: Omicron may evade our immunity


LONDON: The first real world data showing the coronavirus variant Omicron may evade some of our immunity has been reported by scientists in South Africa.

Scientists have detected a surge in the number of people catching COVID multiple times, a British media outlet reported. It is a rapid analysis and not definitive, but fits with concern about the mutations the variant possesses. It is also not clear what this means for the protection given by vaccines.

A week after the variant was named Omicron, the world is still scrambling to understand the true threat posed by the variant. But now the first of pieces of a large and complex puzzle are starting to be assembled.

We already know the variant is heavily mutated and officials in South Africa have warned it is leading to a surge in cases there. The latest piece of the jigsaw is understanding how likely somebody who has already had COVID is likely to catch Omicron.

It has also been detected in more than 30 countries. Scientists have analysed nearly 36,000 suspected re-infections in South Africa to look for any changes to re-infection rates (catching it twice or more) throughout the pandemic.

They showed there was no surge in the risk of re-infection during either the Beta or Delta waves. This is despite laboratory studies suggesting those variants had the potential to evade some immunity.

However, they are now detecting a spike in re-infections. They have not tested each patient to prove it is Omicron, but they say the timing suggests the variant is the driving force. The study, which has not been formally reviewed by other scientists, estimates Omicron could be twice as likely to cause a re-infection than earlier variants.

Prof Juliet Pulliam, from Stellenbosch University and one of the researchers, said: "These findings suggest that Omicron's selection advantage is at least partially driven by an increased ability to infect previously infected individuals."

However, it is still only one piece of the puzzle. There are questions about how much waning immunity is a factor and the extent to which any variant would be able to take off now. In addition, this was a rapid analysis and more data will come with time. The high burden of HIV, which suppresses the immune system, in the country also makes it harder to interpret the findings for the rest of the world.

Laboratory studies that show how well antibodies can attack the virus are expected to give results in the next week. In South Africa, only 24% of people are fully vaccinated. The researchers said their findings could have "important implications" for similar countries where there are high levels of natural immunity from infection.

But Prof Pulliam stressed they "cannot make any assessment of whether Omicron also evades vaccine-derived immunity" because they did not have that data. That makes it harder to understand what would happen in countries like the UK which have not only vaccinated far more people, but have rapidly rolled out booster doses to enhance immunity even further.

Boosting the immune system should compensate for some of the variant's immune-evading tricks. Prof Paul Hunter, from the University of East Anglia, said: "The implications of this paper are that Omicron will be able to overcome natural and probably vaccine-induced immunity to a significant degree. "But, the degree is still unclear - though it is doubtful that this will represent complete escape."

The gut instinct of most scientists is that even if vaccines are less effective at stopping you catching COVID their main job of preventing severe disease and death will hold up better. However, Omicron could still cause a problem even if that is the case. If the variant is capable of causing a sudden large wave of new infections that could again put pressure on hospitals.

It is still too soon to know for sure as it takes a couple of weeks from catching the virus to needing hospital care. South Africa is also a relatively young country, which means COVID will appear milder than it would if it spread in a more elderly population.

Prof Francois Balloux, from University College London, said: "The higher estimated re-infection ability of the Omicron variant to cause re-infection is not overly surprising and could be largely anticipated based on the large number of mutations in the spike protein carried by the omicron variant, which increase the Omicron variant's ability to bypass host immunity."


 
Omicron seems to be less severe than Delta but more transmissive. Actually, it might be a good thing. If it takes over Delta, that means Covid becomes less deadly. Soon covid will be another flu which we can live with.
 
Omicron seems to be less severe than Delta but more transmissive. Actually, it might be a good thing. If it takes over Delta, that means Covid becomes less deadly. Soon covid will be another flu which we can live with.
It's just politics, scare tactic to control, hype to keep pharma lobby to keep earning and media to make profits while continue to keep people busy. Otherwise it is like flu soon after the vaccine came.
 
Yep. The media gotta keep the fear alive. It’s sick.

You are a very sensible member here, whose opinions I value a lot, and so I am going to ask you: Do you really believe in what you are saying?
I, for one, have doggedly resisted against bashing Fauci or Big Pharma or some other grand theories. While there may never be empirical evidence, I have to see a lot in front of me to make firm opinions about ANYTHING. Yes, it is a painful existence to doubt so much but such is my being. Anyway, please tell me about your understanding of the pandemic? I have already said a lot in a separate thread started by me as to why 'I am resisting' taking the vaccine; so I shouldn't need to explain my understanding of the pandemic a lot after that.
Thanks in advance.
 
You are a very sensible member here, whose opinions I value a lot, and so I am going to ask you: Do you really believe in what you are saying?
I, for one, have doggedly resisted against bashing Fauci or Big Pharma or some other grand theories. While there may never be empirical evidence, I have to see a lot in front of me to make firm opinions about ANYTHING. Yes, it is a painful existence to doubt so much but such is my being. Anyway, please tell me about your understanding of the pandemic? I have already said a lot in a separate thread started by me as to why 'I am resisting' taking the vaccine; so I shouldn't need to explain my understanding of the pandemic a lot after that.
Thanks in advance.
If I were to be honest, I believe the virus to be a deep state creation and it was planted in various parts of the world. The virus itself is not very fatal but easily transmissible which makes it a perfect vector for spreading fear and sensationalism. The greatest threat this virus poses are all from the political and economic repercussions of the policies pursued related to it. I do not trust our government, I do not trust big pharma and I definitely do not trust Fauci.
 
Study suggests Pfizer Covid vaccine may only partially protect against Omicron

The Omicron variant of the coronavirus can partially evade the protection from two doses of Pfizer Inc. and partner BioNTech's Covid-19 vaccine, the research head of a laboratory at the Africa Health Research Institute in South Africa said on Tuesday.

Still, the study showed that blood from people who had received two doses of the vaccine and had a prior infection were mostly able to neutralize the variant, suggesting that booster doses of the vaccine could help to fend off infection.

Reuters
 
You are a very sensible member here, whose opinions I value a lot, and so I am going to ask you: Do you really believe in what you are saying?
I, for one, have doggedly resisted against bashing Fauci or Big Pharma or some other grand theories. While there may never be empirical evidence, I have to see a lot in front of me to make firm opinions about ANYTHING. Yes, it is a painful existence to doubt so much but such is my being. Anyway, please tell me about your understanding of the pandemic? I have already said a lot in a separate thread started by me as to why 'I am resisting' taking the vaccine; so I shouldn't need to explain my understanding of the pandemic a lot after that.
Thanks in advance.

Senator Rand Paul believes Fauci should be arrested. Robert Kennedy has written a book 'The real Anthony Fauci'. If what he is saying is true, fauci should be hung.

I don't know the truth, but there is enough evidence to say that this is a man made virus. This is a pandemic of fear.

Omicron? The very Doctor who discovered it in South Africa is saying that it is virtually harmles and believes that the reaction is overblown. To date not one person has died from it.

' As a proven scientist, with decades of hard work under my belt, I can tell you: It is literally all lies. If one iota is true, that is simply an element in service of the lies, or it is an accident. ' Denis Ravencourt Former professor of physics.

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If I were to be honest, I believe the virus to be a deep state creation and it was planted in various parts of the world. The virus itself is not very fatal but easily transmissible which makes it a perfect vector for spreading fear and sensationalism. The greatest threat this virus poses are all from the political and economic repercussions of the policies pursued related to it. I do not trust our government, I do not trust big pharma and I definitely do not trust Fauci.

Wow. And sorry, just seeing this. There were lots of messages / alerts and only now saw this. I am not the best forum user here ;)
I don't know if I agree or disagree with you. Probably more in disagreement. These kinds of planning and coverups are extremely hard to do and have severe consequences for those who do such things. But I appreciate your response.
 

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