Omicron in the vaccinated. Who will attack and who will avoid him? There is an answer

Omicron spreads like wildfire around the world. It is known that it sometimes attacks people who have completed the vaccination course and use the best masks (in the FFP standard). Experts emphasize that this is not evidence of the ineffectiveness of these measures. So the question is why some of these people will get sick and others will stay healthy? There is an answer to that.

1. The Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology study, which has not been published yet, suggests that in the case of approx. In humans, vaccines are less effective against Omicron
2. This is due to differences in the human immune system, and this is a matter regulated by genes
3. However, this does not mean that vaccination is pointless in the fight against Omicron. About 80 percent. it will produce good protection from us. Booster doses are also important
4. It is not known for whom vaccines will provide strong protection and in whom will provide less protection. So what’s the best way to protect yourself from the Omicron?
5. More information can be found on the Onet homepage

Omicron. Who will be less affected by the vaccines?

The omicron is spreading faster than any previous variant of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. In Europe alone, and in many countries this is the dominant variant, last week brought a record 8,8 million new cases. WHO estimates it at such a pace by March, half of all Europeans (currently over 743 million) could become infected with Omicron. It is known that Omikron is also detected in people receiving two (sometimes even three doses) of the COVID-19 vaccine.

1. COVID-19: why does the vaccinated person get sick? [WE EXPLAIN]

What determines whether we get sick after vaccination or not? The bottom line is that some vaccinated people will not develop a strong enough immune response against Omicron. It is estimated that this may be about 20 percent. vaccinated (this is the result of an unpublished study by Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology). So in their case, the vaccine effect will simply be weaker. This is due to individual differences in the functioning of the immune system, which is partly dependent on our genes (and therefore is a very individual matter).

Of course, those who are fully vaccinated are still in a better position than those who choose not to be vaccinated or have been unable to do so for various reasons. Nevertheless, this immune system variability may explain why some vaccinated people fell ill during the wave caused by Omikron.

Further part below the video.

1. Hospitals revealed medics’ salaries for working in a pandemic. “We don’t feel like millionaires”

Immune system of the vaccinated in contact with Omikron. What’s happening?

In the Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology study mentioned earlier (according to livemint.com, its results are expected to appear in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Cell), scientists analyzed blood samples from 76 volunteers. The aim was to study the levels of T cells produced in response to different variants of the coronavirus. Recall that T cells are the second line of defense, identifying and eliminating infected cells (they last longer than antibodies). Many experts consider them to be the most important element of our defense against the Omicron.

1. Free COVID-19 testing in pharmacies from January 27

Going back to the Harvard-MIT study, it found that in four out of five people, vaccination triggered the production of T cells, which acted to clear up the Omikron infection just as quickly as the earlier variants. However, for one in five people, these cells were significantly less effective at removing the super variant, even though they worked well against earlier SARS-CoV-2 mutations.

The above information absolutely does not mean that vaccination is pointless in the fight against Omicron. After all, about 80 percent. it will produce good protection from us. Booster doses are also important. The study showed that they improved their ability to respond to the pathogen, although not all to the same extent.

– What our study really shows is the fact that 80 percent. these people [vaccinated – ed. ed.] T cells should still protect against this new variant, notes the lead author of the article, immunologist Dr. from Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital. It remains a mystery to know for whom vaccines will provide strong protection and for whom will provide less protection. You just don’t know.

It is worth remembering that the diversity related to the level of immunity, which our genes shape, is not a defect, but a feature of a given immune system.

How to protect yourself from the Omikron superwariant?

A study conducted under the supervision of Dr. Gaiha and others moving in a similar direction could help design a new generation of COVID-19 vaccines. As noted by livemint.com, it is currently unclear whether pharmaceutical companies should try to create boosters “tailored” for Omikron, or a more universal booster will be better. The latter option is being researched by Dr. Gaiha.

What is important at the moment is the urgent observance of the rules of the sanitary regime (good quality masks, distance, hygiene) and taking a booster dose. As for the masks themselves, in the face of the spreading Omicron, the American agency CDC admits that the material masks recommended at the beginning of the pandemic do not provide the same protection as surgical masks or masks with the FFP standard (N95, FFP2 or FFP3). The latter protect to the highest degree. More in the article: Which masks protect against Omicron ?.

You may be interested in:

1. Such masks effectively protect against Omicrons. How not to be fooled and choose the right one?
2. Delta vs Omikron. What are the differences in symptoms? [TALLY]
3. Dr. Afelt: We are facing more epidemics. Climate change is fostering the spread of infectious diseases

The content of the medTvoiLokony website is intended to improve, not replace, the contact between the Website User and their doctor. The website is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Before following the specialist knowledge, in particular medical advice, contained on our Website, you must consult a doctor. The Administrator does not bear any consequences resulting from the use of information contained on the Website. Do you need a medical consultation or an e-prescription? Go to halodoctor.pl, where you will get online help – quickly, safely and without leaving your home.