Likely has something to do with the fact that antibodies wane but T cell protection seems to remain pretty robust.
Also bear in mind they’re talking about vs omicron (cases up by over 100% in 2 days here), not your delta.
There is no data yet to show that vaccines are not effective against severe disease or death versus omicron.
3 Likes
Preprint but still promising
Importance The newly identified Omicron variant of concern contains more mutations than any of the previous variants described to date. In addition, many of the mutations associated with the Omicron variant are found in areas that are likely bound by neutralizing antibodies, suggesting that the first line of immunological defense against COVID-19 may be compromised. However, both natural infection and vaccination develop T-cell based responses, in addition to antibodies. This study examined if the parts of the virus, or epitopes, targeted by the CD8+ T-cell response in thirty individuals who recovered from COVID-19 in 2020 were mutated in the Omicron variant. Only one of 52 epitopes identified in this population contained an amino acid that was mutated in Omicron. These data suggest that the T-cell immune response in previously infected, and most likely vaccinated individuals, should still be effective against Omicron.
Good news and great timing, Missery
Moderna is twice the Pfizer dose. Get it if you have a choice. I’m also double Pfizer and recently booster eligible and will be getting Moderna soon.
1 Like
First omicron death has just happened. Vaccination status as yet unknown.
10 omicron hospitalisations from est. 3,000 cases in UK.
Exactly. The people I see irl making this statement are all the same people who carry a gun with them to pick up some Starbucks.
I switched to Moderna when given the choice. If only Pfizer were available, I’d just get that rather than waiting.
2 Likes
Probably first KNOWN death (unless all are being sequenced??).
Still, we can continue to be encouraged by what we are seeing. Still seems to be a step down in morbidity, the T cell data is good. At this point, family gatherings and travel may hit a good number of non-immunes. Vax is still much preferred, but the stupid and folks with low access could net out ahead???
First REPORTED death, then.
Minor knit I know. I’m assuming someone somewhere died where there isn’t good sequencing.
Is my impression correct that we are seeing significant spread in some equatorial African countries that so far had been less cases?
Ok, but still:
I mean, technically we can’t really disentangle vaccines preventing hospitalization and death, and omicron just being straight up milder and less likely to cause hospitalization and death based on this, but it’s good to see relatively little hospitalization and death so far.
1 Like
Need to also be cautious about case age. The majority of the UK’s cumulative cases were confirmed over the weekend. There could be a lot of currently infected people who will be hospitalized soon.
1 Like
This is right. Est. 200,000 infections in the UK, with ~20% thought to be omicron.
As infections were doubling every 2 days, clearly the bulk of them have happened very recently.
1 Like
Question for anyone who might have an answer, as my google fu is weak on this for some reason…
CA has been pretty quick to pull the trigger on college campus shutdowns due to Covid. What are the odds we A) see a shutdown before the next semester starts in January dur to Omicron B) that it affects provate schools and public schools differently, and C) how that affects trade schools?
If a trade college gets shut down by mandate, are they legally required to return tuition, consodering these types of educations often cant be completed online?
Here’s the Inquirer article. All restaurants and indoor venues that serve food/drinks, plus sone other rules. Casino as well, which is going to kill the poker rooms. It’s the right thing to do, but Philly may go red in the next election because of it.