There have been reports in the past about the omicron variant that currently used vaccines do not provide adequate protection against it. The rapid spread of the new variant is also likely due to its ability to bypass immunization.
So omicron differs from the previous version of the virus in that it easily infects both those who have received all vaccinations and those who have already been infected with the previous virus. How can you do that? The prickly protein on its surface carries a large number of mutations, which is why the immune system does not see it as a coronavirus but as a new, unknown virus.
Vaccination is absolutely necessary, but if a person gets infected with an omicron, then, of course, you can only ask that the repeater be healthy. If you have not yet fallen ill, vaccination is important for protection. Do not forget about the booster vaccinations in any way, and we encourage children to be vaccinated, because there are a lot of young children in close situations.
– said Dr. Viola Malath, a pediatrician, at our request.
Szabolcs Dobson, a professional pharmacist, has had an interesting recent Research We shared two results on Facebook: Two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against Omicron were not strong enough 6 months after vaccination, but the neutralizing effect was 100 times greater after the booster, the third vaccine. At the same time, Dobson emphasized that this is a lab test result rather than a clinical one, but that it supports the importance of booster vaccines.
The cell According to a study published in the journal January 4, 2021, at least 15 of these mutations are in the virus protein, which attaches to molecules, or is located at the point where the virus attaches and invades. cells.
In fact, the New England Journal of MedicineThe latest published data shows that these mutations enable Omicron to bypass the immune system. The study showed that the effectiveness of the Pfizer vaccine fell from 93 percent (which was typical for the previous virus) to 70 percent for Omicron.
Another reason for the decreased immune response to omicron is the transient effect of vaccination. An Israeli study in December 2021 found that the vaccine’s effectiveness declined six months after Pfizer’s second vaccination, making the vaccine less protective against any type of coronavirus.
All of this means we can’t skip the booster vaccine, even if we become close. New but not clinically confirmed study Moderna’s two-dose vaccine was found to have little protection against omicron, but the vaccine’s efficacy increased to 37 percent one week after the third dose.
Vaccines enhance the immune response because they help the antibodies better recognize the coronavirus. Recent research has found that Moderna also stimulates antibody production in general, or the production of antibodies that bind well to omicrons or previous coronavirus strains. No matter which vaccine you start with, it is important that you get it as soon as you are eligible for the booster shot.
As of January 11, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults give a booster dose at least 5 months after the first or second vaccination.
(Cover Image: A chief medical officer immunizes a woman with the German-American-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine at the GP’s office on January 28, 2022. Photo: Attila Balázs/MTI)
